DEVELOPING… VP Pence announced Thursday afternoon that the US and Turkey have reached an agreement toward a ceasefire…
After facing heat from critics on every side, President Donald Trump has announced good news out of Turkey.
On Thursday afternoon, Vice President Mike Pence announced some details of a ceasefire agreement from Turkey after meeting with Turkish President Erdogan.
Pence said there will be a 120-hour ceasefire to allow Kurdish troops, who are US allies, to be evacuated from the area. He said there’s also an agreement to protect religious minorities in northern Syria. After that initial ceasefire, a more enduring ceasefire is going to kick in, based on the negotiations.
He said the US and Turkey have “mutually committed to peaceful resolution.” Pence says the agreement was reached after Erdogan was notified that massive sanctions would be implemented against Turkey, but now the US and Turkey will maintain a strong relationship.
“The United States did not support Turkey’s military action,” Pence stated. “President Trump made that clear.”
He said the United States is committed to implementing a safe zone in northern Syria.
Turkey began invading northern Syria after President Trump began withdrawing US troops from Syria. The president had doubled down to defend his move, downplaying the crisis even as his top aides were sent on an emergency mission to try and defuse that growing conflagration inflicted by Turkey’s authoritarian leader.
Now Vice President Pence and Secretary of State Pompeo have worked with Turkish leaders to convince them to back down from the bloodshed.
The meeting in Turkey comes one week after President Trump announced the withdrawal of US troops from northern Syria. The move opened the door for Turkey to invade and attack Kurdish forces who are former US allies in the fight against ISIS.
Trump has stood by his decision to withdraw US troops saying it comes down to a land dispute that doesn’t involve the United States. He also says he’s fulfilling a campaign promise to bring American troops home. “Turkey is taking land from Syria. Syria is not happy about it,” he said Wednesday. “Let them work it out.”
Meanwhile, Trump has been facing another type of battle on the home front, tweeting pictures from a heated White House meeting with Democrat leaders Wednesday.
Source: CBNNEWS.COM