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Turkey boosts troops on Syria border after operation warning Turkey boosts troops to cross Syria border 'shortly'
(about 13 hours later)
Turkey has boosted its military positions on the border with Syria after saying it is ready for a long-threatened operation that could target Kurdish forces long allied to the US. Turkey has boosted its forces on the Syrian border ahead of a long-threatened incursion that could target Kurdish-led forces allied to the US.
Dozens of military vehicles were sent to the area following a US troop withdrawal from north-eastern Syria. Troops would cross into Syria "shortly", a presidential aide said.
President Trump defended his move again on Tuesday, saying the Kurds had not been abandoned, calling them "special". Turkey wants to create a "safe zone" cleared of a Kurdish militia that will also house some of Turkey's 3.6 million Syrian refugees.
His controversial decision was widely condemned at home and abroad. Donald Trump has withdrawn US troops in the area in a controversial decision widely condemned at home and abroad.
Turkey regards the Kurdish militias, which dominate the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as terrorists, and the US pullout was seen as paving the way for an offensive. He again defended his move on Tuesday, saying the Kurds had not been abandoned, calling them "special".
The Kurds were key US allies in defeating the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) in Syria.
But Turkey regards the Kurdish militia that dominates the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a terrorist group. The US pullout was seen as paving the way for an offensive.
What is happening at the border?
Convoys of trucks with armoured personnel carriers and tanks were seen heading to the Turkish border town of Akcakale on Tuesday night. Images of buses carrying personnel were shown by state news agency Anadolu.Convoys of trucks with armoured personnel carriers and tanks were seen heading to the Turkish border town of Akcakale on Tuesday night. Images of buses carrying personnel were shown by state news agency Anadolu.
Trump: Kurds 'wonderful fighters' Turkey is planning to create a 32km (20-mile) deep "safe zone" running for 480km (300 miles) along the Syrian side of the border
Mr Trump said his pullout - described as a "stab in the back" by Kurdish forces who helped defeat Islamic State (IS) in Syria - affected "only 50 soldiers" of some 1,000 US troops in the country. Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish president's director of communications, said Turkish forces would cross the border shortly to "neutralise a long-standing threat against Turkish citizens".
In a series of tweets, Mr Trump softened his tone, praising Turkey as a trade partner and Nato ally, hours after saying he would "destroy and obliterate" its economy if the country went "off limits". He said Kurdish militia fighters could either "defect or we will have [to] stop them from disrupting our counter-IS efforts".
Initial indications suggest a limited incursion by Turkey along a 100km stretch of the border between the towns of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain.
It is a sparsely populated, mostly Arab, area and it is unclear what conflict with Kurdish forces would take place.
US troops have already withdrawn from four border positions there, but they have not withdrawn from positions further east and west.
What has the reaction been?
The SDF said the border areas were "on the edge of a possible humanitarian catastrophe".
"The attack will spill the blood of thousands of innocent civilians," the SDF's general command said.
The Kurdish-led administration in the region said in a statement: "We announce three days of general mobilisation in northern and eastern Syria," calling on civilians to "head to the border with Turkey to fulfil their duty".
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Washington was sending mixed signals and Kurds feared the confusion could "ignite the whole region".
Russia's security council said it was "important for everyone to avoid any action that could create obstacles to a peaceful settlement in Syria".
What has Donald Trump said?
He said his pullout - described as a "stab in the back" by the SDF - affected "only 50 soldiers" of some 1,000 US troops in the country.
In a series of tweets, Mr Trump also praised Turkey as a trade partner and Nato ally, hours after saying he would "destroy and obliterate" its economy if the country went "off limits" in its incursion.
"We may be in the process of leaving Syria, but in no way have we abandoned the Kurds, who are special people and wonderful fighters," Mr Trump said, adding that the US was helping the Kurds "financially [and with] weapons"."We may be in the process of leaving Syria, but in no way have we abandoned the Kurds, who are special people and wonderful fighters," Mr Trump said, adding that the US was helping the Kurds "financially [and with] weapons".
"Any unforced or unnecessary fighting by Turkey will be devastating to their economy and to their very fragile currency," the president said as he described the relationship between the two countries as "very good"."Any unforced or unnecessary fighting by Turkey will be devastating to their economy and to their very fragile currency," the president said as he described the relationship between the two countries as "very good".
In a statement, the Pentagon said "unfortunately, Turkey has chosen to act unilaterally" and that the US personnel were removed "to ensure their safety" but that they were not being sent out of Syria.In a statement, the Pentagon said "unfortunately, Turkey has chosen to act unilaterally" and that the US personnel were removed "to ensure their safety" but that they were not being sent out of Syria.
Turkey says it wants to set up a 480km (300 mile) long and 30km deep "safe zone" along its border with Syria, to resettle up to two million of the more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees currently living in Turkey. The White House also confirmed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would visit the US on 13 November at the invitation of President Trump.
Meanwhile, the White House confirmed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would visit the US on 13 November at the invitation of President Trump. How would an incursion affect the IS situation?
Eyes trained on the border The SDF says that it is detaining more than 12,000 men suspected of being IS members in seven prisons. At least 4,000 of the prisoners are foreign nationals. The exact locations have not been not published, but some are reportedly close to the Turkish border.
BBC's Orla Guerin in Akcakale on the Turkish-Syria frontier Two camps - Roj and Ain Issa - holding families of suspected IS members are inside the "safe zone".
On both sides of the border wall there is a sense that an offensive is coming, and probably soon. There is no indication that the crescendo of international concern is altering Turkey's plans for establishing a "safe zone". Mr Trump warned Mr Erdogan that if he did send troops into northern Syria, they would be responsible for securing captured IS fighters.
Dozens of TV cameras - local and international - are now trained on the border wall. For civilians and refugees on the other side, in north-eastern Syria, there are real fears of what a Turkish invasion could mean. The SDF has said its fighters will continue to guard the prisons and camps, but there is a concern they could be called away to other areas or be forced to flee if they come under attack.
Even if it is limited in scope - and it is unclear if it will be - it could cause massive displacement. And what of the thousands of Islamic State prisoners being held in Kurdish-run detention centres? On Wednesday, IS militants reportedly carried out three suicide attacks in their former de facto capital of Raqqa, about 80km (50 miles) south of Akcakale on the Turkish border. There was no confirmation of casualties.
A spokesman for the SDF told the BBC that if the attack happened, they would have to focus on defending themselves and would have to withdraw some of their forces from the jails, and from areas recently liberated from IS.
Turkey: 'Preparations complete'
Earlier, Turkey's defence ministry said "all preparations for the operation have been completed," adding that the establishment of the "safe zone" was "essential" for Syrians and for peace in the region.
Separately, Vice-President Fuat Oktay said the country would not bow to threats over its Syria plans, saying: "Where Turkey's security is concerned, we determine our own path but we set our own limits."
The comment appeared to be a response to Mr Trump's earlier threat to target the Turkish economy, reportedly an attempt by the president to placate domestic criticism, including from Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
In other developments:
If Turkey takes over areas controlled by Kurdish-led forces, the White House said Turkey would be responsible for all IS fighters held there.