Turkey in final stages for Northeastern Syria operation against Kurds
Turkey has said it is ready to launch its long-threatened operation in north-eastern Syria that could target Kurdish forces long allied to the US, BBC reported.
The announcement came after US President, Donald Trump, ordered a withdrawal of US troops from the border area, a move that was widely condemned at home and abroad.
Trump defended his move again on Tuesday, saying the Kurds had not been abandoned, calling them “special”.
He softened his tone after threatening Turkey if it acted “off limits”.
In a series of tweets, Trump praised Turkey as a trade partner and Nato ally, hours after saying he would “destroy and obliterate” its economy if the country took advantage of his surprise decision.
“We may be in the process of leaving Syria, but in no way have we Abandoned the Kurds, who are special people and wonderful fighters,” Trump tweeted.
The White House confirmed Tuesday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would visit the US on 13 November at the invitation of President Trump.
Turkey wants to set up a 480km (300 mile) long and 30km deep “safe zone” along its border with Syria, to resettle up to two million of the more than 3.6 Syrian refugees.
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