- Title: U.S. Secretary of State arrives in Ankara for talks on Turkey's Syria offensive
- Date: 17th October 2019
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (OCTOBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AIRCRAFT CARRYING U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO TAXIING ON TARMAC U.S. AND TURKISH FLAGS FLYING AT MAST POMPEO DISEMBARKING AND SHAKING HANDS WITH OFFICIALS POMPEO GETTING INTO CAR PLANE ON TARMAC CONVOY LEAVING
- Embargoed: 31st October 2019 11:06
- Keywords: U.S. Mike Pompeo airport Turkey U.S. Vice President Secretary of State Syria military operation United States arrival Mike Pence
- Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1HHYYV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Ankara on Thursday (October 17) as part of Washington's efforts to convince Turkey to halt its offensive against Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria.
Turkey's week-long assault has created a new humanitarian crisis in Syria with 160,000 civilians taking flight, a security alert over thousands of Islamic State fighters abandoned in Kurdish jails, and a political maelstrom at home for Trump.
Trump has been accused of abandoning Kurdish fighters, who were Washington's main partners in the battle to dismantle Islamic State's self-declared caliphate in Syria, by withdrawing troops from the border as Turkey launched its offensive on Oct. 9.
Following a phone call with Erdogan, who has rejected calls for ceasefire or mediation, Trump dispatched top aides including Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Ankara for emergency talks to try to persuade Turkey to halt the offensive.
(Production: Bulent Usta, Yesim Dikmen) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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