BREAKING NEWS

Trump says Erdogan wants ceasefire to work

OCTOBER 18, 2019 19:23

US President Donald Trump tweeted on Friday that he spoke to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and claimed Erdogan wants the ceasefire to work.

He tweeted, "Just spoke to President @RTErdogan of Turkey. He told me there was minor sniper and mortar fire that was quickly eliminated. He very much wants the ceasefire, or pause, to work. Likewise, the Kurds want it, and the ultimate solution, to happen. Too bad there wasn’t this thinking years ago. Instead, it was always held together with very weak bandaids, & in an artificial manner. There is good will on both sides & a really good chance for success. The U.S. has secured the Oil, & the ISIS Fighters are double secured by Kurds & Turkey.

Just spoke to President @RTErdogan of Turkey. He told me there was minor sniper and mortar fire that was quickly eliminated. He very much wants the ceasefire, or pause, to work. Likewise, the Kurds want it, and the ultimate solution, to happen. Too bad there wasn’t.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019

He continued, "I have just been notified that some European Nations are now willing, for the first time, to take the ISIS Fighters that came from their nations. This is good news, but should have been done after WE captured them. Anyway, big progress being made!!!!"

This comes after reports that artillery shelling was heard around the Syrian-Turkish border.

On Thursday US Vice President Mike Pence announced that Turkey had agreed to a five-day ceasefire. The ceasefire sets out a five-day pause to let the Kurdish-led SDF militia withdraw from an area controlled by Turkish forces.

Reuters contributed to this report.