Turkey intensifies Syria campaign
Clouds of smoke billowed towards the sky as Turkish warplanes and artillery continued to hit Kurdish militia targets in Northeast Syria Friday (October 11).
Day three of an offensive that has already killed hundreds of people, forced tens of thousands to flee, and turned even some Washington allies against U.S. President Donald Trump.
On Thursday (October 10), Trump said on Twitter that the U.S. had three choices: send in thousands of troops, hit Turkey with sanctions or mediate a deal between Turkey and the Kurds.
Speaking to reporters shortly after, he said he hoped to do the latter.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, IN AN EXCHANGE WITH REPORTERS, SAYING:
"I hope we can mediate, John, I hope we can mediate."
Turkey's offensive against the Syrian Democratic Forces led by Kurdish YPG militia began days after Trump pulled the remaining small number of U.S. troops out of Syria.
That withdrawal followed a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
It's opened a major new front in the eight-year-old Syrian civil war and drawn fierce international criticism.
Russian President Vladimir Putin echoed warnings on Friday that some of the hundreds of Islamic State militants - detained in northeast Syria by Kurdish forces - could escape as a result of the new conflict.
European Council President Donald Tusk also voiced his concern that Turkey's actions in Syria may lead to a humanitarian and refugee crisis.
The EU is set to discuss its own potential sanctions on Turkey during next week's summit.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has already announced a framework for U.S. sanctions.
Turkey's Foreign Minister said his country would retaliate against any measure taken against it.
