FIGHTING WORDS

Turkey Threatens to Launch Syria Offensive if Trump Delays Troop Withdrawal

Foreign minister warns of offensive against Syrian Kurdish forces.

Turkey has threatened to launch an offensive against Syrian Kurds if Donald Trump delays his announced withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said: “If the [pullout] is put off with ridiculous excuses like Turks are massacring Kurds, which do not reflect the reality, we will implement this decision.” Diplomatic ties between Turkey and the U.S. have been strained this week—President Recep Tayyip Erdogan refused to meet with National Security Adviser John Bolton on Tuesday after Bolton said no U.S. troops would leave Syria until Turkey agreed to not attack the Syrian Kurds. Erdogan—who sees the U.S.-backed YPG Kurdish militia as a terrorist organization—has refused to sign up to that promise. Cavusoglu said Turkey was not afraid to go ahead with its attack plan, adding: “We are determined on the field and at the table… We will decide on its timing and we will not receive permission from anyone.”

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