Trump lifts sanctions on Turkey, says Syria ceasefire now permanent

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – US President Donald Trump told a press conference at the White House on Wednesday he is lifting all sanctions on Turkey after Ankara said the five-day ceasefire brokered last week will now become permanent, marking an end to Operation Spring Peace. 

Flanked by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence, Trump told reporters the ceasefire in Ankara last week has held beyond all expectations in establishing a 20-mile deep safe zone.

“Earlier this morning, the government of Turkey informed my administration that they would be stopping combat and their offensive in Syria and making the ceasefire permanent,” Trump said.

“I have, therefore, informed the Secretary of Treasury to lift all sanctions imposed on October 14 in response to original Turkish offensive ... Unless something happens that we’re not happy with.”

Possibly responding to critics who say the US has renounced its role and responsibilities in the Middle East, Trump said “this was an outcome created by us” and that the US is “willing to take blame and also take credit”.

In what was likely a reference to Russia, Trump said: “Other countries have stepped forward and they want to help and we think that’s great.”

He said a small number of troops will remain in place to secure northeast Syria’s oil until his administration decides what to do with it. 

Widely accused of betraying the Syrian Kurds of northeast Syria who fought the ground war against the Islamic State group (ISIS), Trump insisted “we’ve saved the lives of many, many Kurds”.

Before his statement, Trump earlier tweeted: “Big success on the Turkey/Syria Border. Safe Zone created! Ceasefire has held and combat missions have ended. Kurds are safe and have worked very nicely with us. Captured ISIS prisoners secured.”

Trump told reporters he had just spoken to Mazloum Kobani Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who he described as a “wonderful man”.

“He was extremely thankful for what the United States has done. [He] could not have been more thankful,” Trump said.

The SDF commander assured him ISIS is under “very, very strict” control.

According to a series of tweets from SDF press chief Mustafa Bali, SDF commander Mazloum Kobani Abdi said: “I just spoke with President Trump and explained to him the Turkish violations of the truce that would not have been possible without his great efforts.” 

“We THANK President #Trump for his tireless efforts that stopped the brutal Turkish attack and jihadist groups on our people. President Trump promised to maintain partnership with SDF and long-term support at various spheres,” Abdi added. 

100 ISIS prisoners escape 

Shortly before Trump spoke, the State Department’s envoy on Syria James Jeffrey told the House Foreign Affairs Committee more than a hundred Islamic State (ISIS) prisoners have escaped since Turkey’s incursion began.

“We would say the number is now over 100. We do not know where they are,” Jeffrey said when asked about the detainees.

Hundreds of ISIS fighter and their families are held in SDF controlled camps and makeshift prisons.

Several reports indicate ISIS prisoners have been able to break loose in the chaos of the Turkish offensive.

Iraqi authorities say they have arrested escapees attempting to cross the shared border.

Trump withdrew US troops from northern Syria to make way for Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring, launched on October 9.

Washington brokered a pause in the operation last week to allow Kurdish fighters to withdraw. On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia’s Vladimir Putin made a separate deal concerning control of the Syria-Turkey border.

That agreement dictates the SDF pull back 30 kilometers from the border within six days. Joint Russian-Turkish patrols will control the border with a depth of 10 kilometers into northern Syria, with the exception of Qamishli.

The SDF, which was not a party to the talks, has said it is reviewing the deal but not yet commented further.

At least 200,000 civilians have been displaced from their homes by of Turkey’s incursion, according to the Kurdish Red Crescent.  

This is a developing story…