Turkey kills 595 terrorists in northern Syria operation Peace Spring

Turkey kills 595 terrorists

A total of 595 YPG/PKK terrorists have been killed since the beginning of Turkey's anti-terror operation in northern Syria, the National Defense Ministry said, TRT World reports.

The ministry updated the figure in a Twitter post.

US imposes new sanctions on Turkey

The US Treasury Department announced sanctions Monday on two Turkish ministries and three senior government officials over Turkey’s anti-terror operation.

Washington imposed sanctions on Turkey’s Ministry of National Defence and Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and also on Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Donmez and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.

"We are prepared to impose additional sanctions on Government of Turkey officials and entities, as necessary," the department said in a statement.

According to US law, those mentioned on the sanctions list face blocking of their properties (if any) and are prevented from having trade relations with the US.

Pence heads to Mideast

Vice President Mike Pence says he's being dispatched to the Middle East by President Donald Trump.

Pence says Trump spoke with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier Monday and called for an immediate end to Turkey's operation in Syria.

Pence says the president is "very concerned about instability in the region" and is denying that Trump gave Turkey the green light to launch the operation when he announced a troop pullout.

Pence says the US is "simply not going to tolerate Turkey's invasion of Syria any longer."

Pelosi wants to "overturn" withdrawal from Syria

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she and a leading Senate Republican want Congress to produce bipartisan legislation to "overturn" President Trump's withdrawal of US troops from Syria.

The California Democrat says the measure must be stronger than sanctions on Turkey Trump announced Monday.

Pelosi says she spoke Monday to South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham.

He's been drafting a bipartisan measure to bar weapons sales to Turkey and impose sanctions on the US assets of Turkish leaders.

The top Democrat and Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee have said they will introduce similar legislation.

Pentagon chief Esper says will press NATO allies to take measures against Turkey

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday he would ask NATO allies to punish Turkey for its anti-terror operation in Syria, saying Turkey's operation in the country had resulted in the release of Daesh detainees.

"This unacceptable incursion has also undermined the successful multinational 'Defeat ISIS' mission in Syria, and resulted in the release of many dangerous ISIS [Daesh] detainees," Esper said in a statement.

Esper said he would travel to NATO headquarters in Brussels next week to ask allies "to take collective and individual diplomatic and economic measures in response to these egregious Turkish actions."

McConnell warns about US pullout in Syria

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the withdrawal of US troops from Syria threatens a "strategic calamity" and "catastrophic outcome" for American interests in the region.

Without mentioning President Trump, the Kentucky Republican used a written statement Monday to criticise Trump's recent decision to pull US forces from the area.

McConnell says he is "gravely concerned" about the move. It was his strongest criticism of Trump's move and underscores near-solid bipartisan opposition in Congress.

McConnell says the withdrawal would let Daesh terror group rebuild and would boost Iran's and Russia's influence in the region. He said he anticipates discussing the problem with lawmakers and senior administration officials.

US troops leaving Syria to stay in Middle East

President Trump says the roughly 1,000 US troops he has ordered to leave Syria will remain in the Middle East to prevent a resurgence of Daesh threat.

In a written statement Monday announcing his authorisation of economic sanctions on Turkey, Trump made clear that the withdrawing troops will leave Syria entirely.

He said the troops will "redeploy and remain in the region." He described their mission as "monitoring the situation" and preventing a "repeat of 2014," when Daesh militants who had organised in Syria as a fighting force swept into neighbouring Iraq and took control of Iraq's north and west.

Trump confirmed that the small number of US troops at a base in southern Syria will remain there.

France's Macron warns Trump of need "to prevent re-emergence" of Daesh

French President Emmanuel Macron made clear to Trump "the absolute necessity to prevent a re-emergence" of Daesh, after the US pulled its troops out of northern Syria

Macron warned, in a telephone call, that the troop pullout and Turkey's operation in the region increased the threat of Daesh resurgence, the presidential palace said.

The French leader also held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi counterpart President Barham Saleh, the presidency said.

Trump orders Turkey sanctions

Targeting Turkey's economy, President Trump announced sanctions Monday aimed at restraining Turkey's operation in Syria -- an assault Turkey began after Trump announced he was moving US troops out of the way.

In Washington, Trump said in a statement that he was halting trade negotiations with Turkey and raising steel tariffs. He said he would soon sign an order permitting sanctions to be imposed on current and former Turkish officials.

In a statement posted on Twitter, he added that steel tariffs will again be raised to 50% and negotiations for a $100 billion trade deal will be stopped "immediately" by the US Commerce Department.

American troops consolidated their positions in northern Syria on Monday and prepared to evacuate equipment in advance of a full withdrawal, a US defence official said.

PKK/YPG militants set Daesh terrorists free – officials

PKK/YPG deliberately released Daesh prisoners held at a jail in the Syrian border town of Tal Abyad, ahead of the Turkish forces' raid, senior Turkish officials said on Monday.

"Turkish forces raided a prison in Tal Abyad earlier today, expecting to take custody of Daesh terrorists held there," a senior government official told reporters.

"Before they got there, PKK/YPG terrorists set free the Daesh militants in an attempt to fuel chaos in the area," he said, claiming that no doors had been broken in the prison.

"The folly of trusting a terrorist group for keeping watch over another is exposed for all," said the Turkish official.

Some relatives of the Daesh families in the Ain Issa camp told AFP news agency that PKK/YPG guards had forced the women and children to leave.

Turkey won't back down from Syria campaign – Erdogan

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey will not back down from Syria offensive, adding that the battle would continue until ''ultimate victory'' is achieved.

''We are determined to continue the operation until the end, without paying attention to threats. We will absolutely finish the job we started. Our battle will continue until ultimate victory is achieved,'' Erdogan said during a speech in Baku.

He also slammed the European Union and Arab League for their criticism of Turkey's operation and asked for international funds for Ankara's ''safe zone'' plans in northeast Syria.

Turkey spent $40 billion "on our guests" [Syrian refugees] and we will continue investing on our guests "because our understanding of civilisation requires us to do it," President Erdogan added.

YPG 'may be releasing' Daesh prisoners – Trump

President Trump suggested Monday that PKK/YPG militants may be releasing imprisoned Daesh terrorists to force the United States to remain involved in northeastern Syria.

"Europe had a chance to get their ISIS [Daesh] prisoners but didn't want the cost. 'Let the USA pay,' they said..." Trump tweeted.

"....Kurds [PKK/PKK] may be releasing some to get us involved. Easily recaptured by Turkey or European Nations from where many came, but they should move quickly."

Erdogan slams foreign media, EU leaders

Turkish President Erdogan said he does not think any problems will emerge in Syria's Ayn al Arab after a Syrian National Army deployment is executed along the border.

"It seems there will be no problem [during the operation] in Kobani [Ayn al Arab] with Russia’s affirmative approach. Also, we are in the process of carrying out [the operation] in Manbij as we planned".

He also said a US move to withdraw some 1,000 troops from northern Syria was a positive step.

"We will not get into Manbij once it is cleared of terrorists instead the true owners of the land and the tribes will enter the region and we want to ensure their safety," the Turkish president added while also criticising the role of foreign media while covering Ankara's operation in northern Syria.

Erdogan also stressed that European leaders are subjected to serious misinformation about Turkey's operation.

"I spoke to [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel yesterday and to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson the day before. I’ve seen that they, unfortunately, do not know many of the facts and are under the pressure of very serious disinformation," he said.

He also urged NATO members to act according to Article 5 of the bloc.

Erdogan was speaking at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul before departing for Baku to attend the seventh Summit of the Turkic Council.

France says securing military in Syria as US begins withdrawal

France said on Monday it was taking measures to ensure the safety of its military and civilian personnel in northeastern Syria as the United States begins to withdraw its forces from the area.

"Measures will be taken in the coming hours to ensure the safety of French military and civilian personnel present in the zone as part of the international coalition fighting Islamic State [Daesh] and humanitarian action," the French presidency said in a statement after an emergency defence cabinet meeting. It did not provide further details.