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Trump confirms meeting with Erdogan on November 13

The two leaders had a phone conversation to discuss Turkish border with Syria, eradication of terrorism, ending of hostilities with the Kurds, and many other topics

WASHINGTON, November 7. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday he had a "very good call" with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and was looking forward to meet him in Washington on November 13.

"Just had a very good call with President Erdogan of Turkey. He informed me that they have captured numerous ISIS [Islamic State terrorist group, outlawed in Russia] fighters that were reported to have escaped during the conflict - including a wife and sister of terrorist killer [Abu Bakr] al Baghdadi," Trump said in a Twitter post.

"Also talked about their Border with Syria, the eradication of terrorism, the ending of hostilities with the Kurds, and many other topics. Look forward to seeing President Erdogan next Wednesday, November 13th at the WhiteHouse," he added.

On October 9, Turkey launched a military incursion into northern Syria, codenaming it Operation Peace Spring, with the Turkish Armed Forces and the Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army carrying it out. Erdogan’s military campaign kicked off with airstrikes on the positions of the previously US-backed Kurdish units. The Erdogan government claimed that its goal is to clear the border area of what it calls ‘terrorists’ (Turkey’s broad label of the Kurdish forces) and establish a 30 km-long buffer zone in Syria’s north, where over 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey would resettle. Ankara’s incursion into Syria has triggered an outcry in the region and across the world. The Syrian SANA news agency branded the operation as an act of aggression, while the international community condemned Erdogan’s military operation.

On October 17, the US reached a deal with Turkey to pause Operation Peace Spring. Turkey consented to a 120-hour ceasefire so that Kurdish units making up the coalition of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) could leave the areas of the border security zone that Ankara is attempting to create. The ceasefire ran out on October 22.

On October 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a memorandum on joint actions in northeastern Syria. According to the document, as of noon October 23, Russian military police and Syrian border guards started to monitor the withdrawal of Kurdish military formations to the depth of 30 km from the border. On the outcomes of the agreement, Ankara stated that it had suspended its large-scale military operation in the area. However, Turkey retains control over the territories where it plans to relocate Syrian refugees in the future.