President Trump condemned the Turkish incursion into northern Syria days after the United States moved troops out of the region.
In a statement released Wednesday, the president said the attack was not supported by the U.S. He has faced bipartisan backlash for relocating troops from the area, which is inhabited by Kurdish allies who fought the Islamic State alongside the U.S.
“The United States does not endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea,” he said. “There are no American soldiers in the area. From the first day I entered the political arena, I made it clear that I did not want to fight these endless, senseless wars — especially those that don’t benefit the United States.”
Turkey began the military operation Wednesday morning. Trump said that Turkey has assured it would protect civilians in the region.
“Turkey has committed to protecting civilians, protecting religious minorities, including Christians, and ensuring no humanitarian crisis takes place — and we will hold them to this commitment.
Trump also said Turkey is “now responsible” for ensuring that the ISIS fighters who are detained in the region do not escape and reorganize, a concern raised by members of both political parties and national security professionals.
The statement comes a day after the president tweeted that the U.S. would “devastate Turkey economically” if it attacks the Kurds.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called for bipartisan sanctions against Turkey if it invades Syria and said he would move to suspend Turkey’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization if it attacks Kurdish forces there.
Nikki Haley, Trump’s former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called the decision “a big mistake.”
