page_title: 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria
section_title: United States
hierarchical_section_title: 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria / Reactions / Sanctions and suspension of arms sales / United States
caption_attribution_description: President Donald J. Trump meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)
context_page_description: The 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria, code-named Operation Peace Spring by the Turkish Armed Forces, was a cross-border military operation conducted by the Turkish military and the Syrian National Army against the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian Arab Army in northern Syria.
  On 6 October 2019, the Trump administration ordered American troops to withdraw from northeastern Syria, where the United States had been supporting its Kurdish allies. The military operation began on 9 October 2019 when the Turkish Air Force launched airstrikes on border towns. The conflict resulted in the displacement of over 300,000 people and has caused the death of more than 70 civilians in Syria and 20 civilians in Turkey. Human rights violations have also been reported. Amnesty International stated that it had gathered evidence of war crimes and other violations committed by Turkish and Turkey-backed Syrian forces who are said to "have displayed a shameful disregard for civilian life, carrying out serious violations and war crimes, including summary killings and unlawful attacks that have killed and injured civilians".
context_section_description: Trump said he was working with congressional leaders, including the Democratic opposition, to impose "powerful" economic sanctions against Turkey for its cross-border attacks in north-eastern Syria. Senator Lindsey Graham warned that he would "introduce bipartisan sanctions against Turkey if they invade Syria". He said he would also "call for their suspension from NATO if they attack Kurdish forces who assisted the United States in the destruction of the ISIS Caliphate". Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the Senate to sanction Turkey, as well as in the House of Representatives.
  On 14 October, the U.S. government declared sanctions against the Turkish ministries of defense, interior and energy. The U.S. statement delivered by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Vice President Mike Pence denounced the Turkish government for "endangering innocent civilians, and destabilizing the region, including undermining the campaign to defeat ISIS", said that the U.S. had not given a "green light" to a full-on Turkish invasion, and warned that sanctions would continue and worsen "until Turkey embraces an immediate ceasefire". On the same day, U.S. President Donald Trump demanded a ceasefire from Turkey in a conversation with Turkish President Erdoğan, froze negotiations on a $100bn US-Turkey trade deal, and imposed sanctions on Turkish government officials.
  On 16 October, the United States House of Representatives, in a rare bipartisan vote of 354 to 60, "condemned" President Trump's withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, for, in the view of both parties, "abandoning U.S. allies, undermining the struggle against ISIS, and spurring a humanitarian catastrophe".
  On 17 October, after reaching a ceasefire agreement with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, US Vice President Mike Pence announced that all sanctions imposed on Turkey by the United States would be lifted and there would be no further sanctions once a permanent ceasefire was reached in the operation.
  On 29 October 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 405-11 to recognize the Armenian Genocide, as a result of Turkey's invasion of Syria. However, the motion was blocked in the Senate by South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, following a request from the White House.
caption: President Donald Trump meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the Oval Office of the White House, 13 November 2019
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