* Photo: AA/Archive
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Trish Regan from FOX News has reported that US President Donald Trump sent a letter to President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on October 9, when the "Operation Peace Spring" was launched into northern Syria.
In the letter first shared by Regan on social media and confirmed by the White House later on, Trump told President Erdoğan, "History will look upon you favorably if you get this done the right and humane way. It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don't happen. Don't be a tough guy. Don't be a fool! I will call you later".
Trump also stated that Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) General Mazloum was willing to negotiate with Turkey.
"General Mazloum is willing to negotiate with you, and he is willing to made concessions that they would never have made in the past. I am confidentially enclosing a copy of his letter to me, just received", Trump said.
EXCLUSIVE: I have obtained a copy of @realDonaldTrump’s letter to #Erdogan. @POTUS warns him to not “be a tough guy! Don’t be a fool!” Says he could destroy Turkey’s economy if #Syria is not resolved in a humane way. Details tonight at 8pm #TrishRegan #FoxBusiness pic.twitter.com/9BoSGlbRyt
— Trish Regan (@trish_regan) October 16, 2019
White House has confirmed
First shared by Trish Regan from FOX News, the letter has later been confirmed by the White House.
US-based daily New York Times has reported that in his meeting with Congress leaders yesterday (October 16), Trump said that he wrote a "harsh" letter to Erdoğan to prove that he did not give a green light to Turkey's military operation into northern Syria.
Trump then wanted Republican Kevin McCarthy from the House of Representatives to distribute a copy of the letter to the others on the table.
'Let's work out a good deal'
Trump sent the following letter to Erdoğan on October 9:
"Let's work out a good deal! You don't want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don't want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy - and I will. I've already given you a little sample with respect to Pastor Brunson.
"I have worked hard to solve some of your problems. Don't let the world down. You can make a great deal.
"General Mazloum is willing to negotiate with you, and he is willing to make concessions that they would never have made in the past. I am confidentially enclosing a copy of his letter to me, just received.
"History will look upon you favorably if you get this done the right and humane way. It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don't happen. Don't be a tough guy. Don't be a fool! I will call you later".
'Operation Peace Spring' and SDF
On October 9, when Trump sent the above letter to President Erdoğan, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) launched the "Operation Peace Spring" into northern Syria to "form a safe zone" in the area controlled by the SDF.
Consisting mostly of Kurdish groups, the SDF is the most important ally of the West, especially that of the US, in their struggle against the ISIS.
However, Turkey considers the SDF, the People's Protection Units (YPG) under the umbrella of the SDF and its political branch Democratic Union Party (PYD) to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and recognizes it as a "terrorist organization". (TP/SD)
