Washington, United States | AFP | Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was believed to be dead after a US military raid in Syria’s Idlib region, US media reported early Sunday. Baghdadi may have killed himself with a suicide vest as US special operations forces descended, media said citing multiple government …
Read More »TRUMP: Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool
Trump letter to Erdogan: ‘Don’t be a fool’ Washington, United States | AFP | “Don’t be a fool,” Donald Trump warned his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an extraordinary letter sent the day Turkey launched its incursion into northeastern Syria — warning history risked branding him a “devil.” Three days …
Read More »Pelosi clashes with Trump, again
Trump, Pelosi clash in heated White House meeting on Syria Washington, United States | AFP | Top congressional Democrats walked out of a fractious White House meeting on Syria policy Wednesday when US President Donald Trump attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as a “third-rate politician.” One of the Democrats attending …
Read More »Trump authorizes sanctions, slaps steel tariffs on Turkey
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Monday authorized sanctions on Turkey’s leaders, reimposed steel tariffs and ended trade negotiations to protest Ankara’s offensive into Syria. “I am fully prepared to swiftly destroy Turkey’s economy if Turkish leaders continue down this dangerous and destructive path,” Trump said …
Read More »Trump: Let ‘Napoleon Bonaparte’ rescue Kurds
Washington, United States | AFP | Donald Trump suggested Monday that Syria’s formerly US-allied Kurds could look to 19th century French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte for protection after the US president ordered the departure of nearly 1,000 US troops from the country. Turkey was threatening to invade northeastern Syria after launching a …
Read More »EU ‘has no magic powers’ to stop Turkey offensive
Luxembourg, Luxembourg | AFP | EU foreign ministers on Monday voiced concern and condemnation at Turkey’s assault on Kurdish forces in northern Syria, but warned their options for coordinated action across the bloc were limited. Several European countries including Germany and France have halted arms exports to Turkey over the offensive …
Read More »Trump: US going into Middle East was ‘worst decision ever’
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the US military becoming involved in the Middle East was the “worst decision ever made” and that he was ensuring the safe return of troops. Trump has faced a bipartisan storm of criticism since a surprise announcement by the …
Read More »Turkey ready for Syria offensive despite mixed signals from Trump
Akcakale, Turkey | AFP | Turkey said Tuesday it was ready for an offensive into northern Syria, while President Donald Trump insisted the United States had not abandoned its Kurdish allies by pulling forces out of the area, Istanbul sent more armoured vehicles to the border with Syria on Tuesday, an …
Read More »Trump threatens Turkey after greenlighting Syria invasion
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump has warned Turkey against going too far in Syria, just a day after giving Ankara an apparent green light to invade its southern neighbor and sparking panic among Washington’s Kurdish allies. The US pulled back 50 to 100 “special operators” from …
Read More »Europeans fear IS comeback after Trump pullback from Syria
Paris, France | AFP | European powers on Monday warned against a threatened Turkish offensive in northern Syria, saying the move, which has been facilitated by a US pullout, would boost the Islamic State group and spark a new refugee crisis. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long threatened that an …
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