Kurdish Forces

US, Turkey agree to 5-day ceasefire in Syria to allow Kurdish forces to withdraw from safe zone along border

Turkey has agreed to suspend its Syria offensive for five days and will end the assault if Kurdish-led forces withdraw from a safe zone along the border, Mike Pence and Turkish officials announced.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan threw Donald Trump's bizarre 'tough guy' letter over Syria in the bin: BBC report

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threw away the letter he received from his US counterpart Donald Trump in which the latter urged him to not launch a military offensive against Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria, BBC reported on Thursday

'Don't be a fool': Donald Trump writes to Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warns him not to be 'tough' on day of Ankara's incursion in Syria

In language shorn of diplomatic niceties, Trump said, 'History will look upon you favorably if you get this done the right and humane way," adding "It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don't happen.'

'Turkey can never declare ceasefire in north Syria': Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of US delegation's visit to Ankara

Erdogan told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call late Tuesday that Turkey's operation would contribute to the protection of Syria's territorial integrity as well as efforts to fight terror, according to the Turkish presidency.

Turkey mounts offensive against Kurds amid mixed signals from Donald Trump, cites need to create 'safe zone' on Syrian side of border

The US troops had served as a buffer preventing a long-planned attack by the Turkish military against Kurdish forces, who were crucial in the years-long campaign to defeat the Islamic State group but are viewed as "terrorists" by Ankara.

Donald Trump walks away from Syria and Republican allies: US president plunges into deeper isolation amid impeachment proceedings

The White House issued a statement on Sunday that it was effectively abandoning the Kurds who did most of the fighting alongside US forces to against Islamic State extremists.

Turkey says it won't be intimidated after Donald Trump threatens to 'devastate' nation economically if Kurdish forces are attacked

In his tweet, Donald Trump had also pushed for the creation of a 30-kilometre (20-mile) "safe zone" in Syria, but offered no details on who would create, enforce or pay for it, or where it would be located.

Iraq declares end of Islamic State caliphate after coalition forces captures historic Nuri mosque in Mosul

Iraq government troops on Thursday captured the ruined mosque at the heart of Islamic State's de facto capital Mosul

Battle for Mosul: Limited gains in first week of Iraq's offensive against Islamic State

In the week since Iraq launched an operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group, its forces have pushed toward the city from the north, east and south, battling the militants in a belt of mostly uninhabited towns and villages.

Battle of Mosul: Crisis doesn't end at reclaiming the city, international media warns of complex challenges ahead

Whether or not the military offensive serves its purpose depends on how the Iraqi government tackles the post-IS Mosul