WASHINGTON — Targeting Turkey's economy, President Donald Trump announced sanctions aimed at restraining the Turks' assault against Kurdish fighters and civilians in Syria — an assault Turkey began after Trump announced he was moving U.S. troops out of the way. Some of those U.S. troops leaving northern Syria are being shifted to...
Russia Moves to Fill Void Left by US in Northern Syria
CEYLANPINAR, Turkey — Russia moved to fill the void left by the United States in northern Syria on Tuesday, deploying troops to keep apart advancing Syrian government and Turkish forces. At the same time, tensions grew within NATO as Turkey defied growing condemnation of its invasion from its Western allies....
US Troops Scramble for the Exits in Syria
WASHINGTON — U.S. troops scrambled for Syria's exits Monday while the Trump administration threatened economic penalties on Turkey for an invasion that opened the door to a resurgence of the Islamic State group -- the fighters who were the reason U.S. forces came in the first place. The Turks began...
EU Nations Commit to Arms Export Ban Against Turkey
LUXEMBOURG — European Union nations vented outrage Monday at Turkey's military offensive in northern Syria against the Kurds and joined France and Germany in banning arms sales to Ankara, a rare move against a NATO ally for many of them. Many EU foreign ministers were looking beyond a strong statement...
Turkish Forces Push Deeper Into Syria, With Deaths Rising
AKCAKALE, Turkey — Turkish forces pushed deeper into northeastern Syria on Friday, the third day of Ankara's offensive against U.S.-allied Syrian Kurdish fighters, as casualties mounted, international criticism of the campaign intensified and thousands of civilians fled the violence. Turkey said it captured more Kurdish-held villages in the border region,...
Turkey Launches Offensive Against Kurdish Fighters in Syria
AKCAKALE, Turkey — Turkey launched a military operation Wednesday against Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria after U.S. forces pulled back from the area, with a series of airstrikes hitting a town on Syria's northern border. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the campaign, which followed an abrupt...
Rep. Costa Blasts Trump's Decision to Abandon Kurds
Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno said Monday morning that President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria "is disgraceful and deeply harmful to our national security." Said Costa in a news release: “Not only does this open the door to ISIS regrouping and resuming its horrendous acts...
Pentagon Nominee Regrets Turkey's 'Drift' From West
WASHINGTON — Army Secretary Mark Esper, President Donald Trump's nominee to become secretary of defense, told his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday he is troubled by Turkey's decision to defy the United States by acquiring Russian-made air defenses. "It is very disheartening to see how they have drifted over the past...
Armenian Genocide Recognized in Fresno, But Not at White House
Almost universally, Armenians are dedicated to ensuring that the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks from 1915 through 1918 is acknowledged and never forgotten. But, for many Americans, it's not a case of forgetting. They are completely unaware of the 20th century's first genocide. According to a...
Putin Hosts Turkey's Leader to Discuss Syria, Weapons Deals
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday hosted Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks focusing on the situation in Syria, the sale of advanced Russian missiles to Turkey and other economic deals. Erdogan's visit to Russia, his third this year, underlined increasingly close ties between the two countries...