Turkey is targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Trump had authorized -- but not yet activated -- new sanctions to dissuade Turkey from further offensive military action. In Al-Hol, a camp holding relatives of IS suspects that lies outside the area targeted by Turkey, women started riots Friday that Kurdish forces swiftly put down. Erdogan hopes to create a buffer zone between the border and territory controlled by Syrian Kurdish forces, who have links with Turkey's own Kurdish rebels. French leader Emmanuel Macron said the Turkish offensive must stop "as soon as possible" in a phone conversation with Trump on Friday, the presidency said.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 12, 2019 03:00 UTC