This archive report was first published on 24 October 2019.
October 24, 2019, marked a significant development in the Syrian conflict as US President Donald Trump announced a permanent cease-fire in northeast Syria. The cease-fire, brokered by the US, Turkey, and Russia, would be enforced by Turkey and Russia.
According to Trump, the US had taken credit for the tentative deal, which would lift sanctions imposed on Turkey after its invasion of Kurdish-run areas south of its border. The sanctions, which included steel tariffs, had been imposed on October 14, 2019.
Trump's announcement came as a surprise to many, given the widespread criticism of his decision to withdraw American troops from the area, leaving their Kurdish allies facing the Turkish assault. The decision had been met with anger within the American military, the diplomatic corps, and even among some of Trump's most steadfast conservative allies.
However, Trump seemed to reject the idea of Russian influence, stating, 'This was an outcome created by us, the United States, and nobody else. No other nation. Very simple.'
Trump's decision to withdraw American troops had been made after a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 6, 2019. Erdogan had informed Trump of his intention to invade northeastern Syria, and Trump had subsequently withdrawn several dozen American troops from the region.
The cease-fire would also see the removal of sanctions imposed on Turkey's Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, as well as three of the country's senior officials. The Treasury Department announced the delisting of these entities in a statement, citing the direction of President Trump.
