U.S. President Donald Trump said he hopes he can mediate between Turkey and the Kurds following Turkey’s offensive on U.S.-allied Kurds in northeast Syria.
"Turkey is attacking the Kurds, who have been fighting each other for 200 years. We have one of three choices: Send in thousands of troops and win Militarily, hit Turkey very hard Financially and with Sanctions, or mediate a deal between Turkey and the Kurds!" the U.S. leader wrote on Twitter.
On October 9, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the launch of Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria, which began with airstrikes on Kurdish positions. The operation’s goal is to create a buffer zone along the Turkish border, where, according to Ankara, Syrian refugees residing in Turkey could return.