Trump, Erdogan to coordinate as US pulls out of Syria -Turkish presidency

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump agreed on December 23 to coordinate to prevent an authority vacuum from developing as the United States withdraws from Syria, the Turkish presidency said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (L) and US President Donald Trump (R) discuss Syria issues amid US pullout.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (L) and US President Donald Trump (R) discuss Syria issues amid US pullout.

In a phone call between the two leaders, Erdogan also expressed satisfaction with steps taken by Washington regarding combating terrorism in Syria and said Turkey was ready to provide any type of support, the presidency said.

On December 19, Washington announced to withdraw its troops from Syria after claiming a victory in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) without revealing any detailed timetable.

Following the US move, Erdogan said on December 21 that Turkey had decided to postpone its cross-border operation into areas controlled by the Kurdish militia in northern Syria.

Reuters, Xinhua