President Donald Trump has threatened Turkey with economic “devastation” if it attacks Kurdish forces in northern Syria following his planned withdrawal of US troops.
The direct warning by Mr Trump to a Nato ally further raised tensions in the region.
In a tweet, the US president wrote: “Starting the long overdue pullout from Syria while hitting the little remaining ISIS [Islamic State] territorial caliphate hard, and from many directions. Will attack again from existing nearby base if it reforms. Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds. Create 20 mile safe zone….”
Mr Trump also warned the Kurds not to inflame the situation adding: “Likewise, do not want the Kurds to provoke Turkey. Russia, Iran and Syria have been the biggest beneficiaries of the long term U.S. policy of destroying ISIS in Syria — natural enemies. We also benefit but it is now time to bring our troops back home. Stop the ENDLESS WARS!”
Mr Trump did not say how he would target the Turkish economy.
He mentioned the creation of a 20-mile safe zone, which suggests the US is seeking to negotiate a buffer area as part of an agreement to protect Kurdish fighters once around 2,000 US troops have left.
Relations between Washington and Ankara have become increasingly strained over US support for the Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria. American forces have fought alongside them against IS.
Turkey regards the YPG as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has fought for autonomy in Turkey for three decades. The YPG denies any direct organisational links to the PKK.
“Terrorists can’t be your partners & allies,” Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin responded today.
“Turkey expects the US to honour our strategic partnership and doesn’t want it to be shadowed by terrorist propaganda,” he added.
Mr Trump surprised his Nato partners last month by declaring that the mission to defeat IS in Syria had been completed and he would bring troops home.
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo is in Saudi Arabia on a tour of the Middle East to try to reassure allies that the pull-out has been thought through.
Mr Pompeo said at the weekend that he was “optimistic” a deal could be reached with Turkey.
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He said the US acknowledged “the Turkish people’s right and Mr [president] Erdogan’s right to defend their country from terrorists”.
“We also know that those fighting alongside us for all this time deserve to be protected as well,” he added.
However, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made no secret of his concerns, vowing to crush the Kurdish fighters.
