UPDATE - Trump Calls On Erdogan To Stop Syria Offensive, Sends Delegation To Turkey - Pence

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2019) US President Donald Trump has called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop the operation in northern Syria and has directed US Vice President Mike Pence to head to Turkey for negotiations, Pence told reporters.

Trump had a phone conversation with Erdogan, urging him to implement an immediate ceasefire, Pence said on Monday, as cited by Fox news.

The US Vice President added that Trump directed him and National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien to lead a delegation to Turkey to begin negotiations immediately.

US media reported on Monday, citing Pence, that Trump had also held phone talks with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and has received guarantees from Turkey that the city of Kobani (Ayn al-Arab) would not be attacked.

A senior US administration official confirmed during a press briefing on Monday that Trump talked to both Erdogan and senior commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Kobani Abdi.

"As I'm sure you all know by now, as was announced by Secretary Mnuchin, NSA O'Brien, and the Vice President just now, the President spoke today to both General Mazloum and President Erdoğan. He is fully engaged in the developments in Northeast Syria. And we all firmly believe that the United States is the only party with the gravitas to arbitrate with both sides," the official said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that Trump had signed an executive order authorizing sanctions against Turkey aimed at making Ankara stop its offensive in northern Syria, launched earlier this month. Pompeo warned that if Turkey wanted to avoid further sanctions it had to start negotiations with Washington.