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Trump Says to Issue Executive Order Authorising Sanctions Against Turkish Officials

The US president also said that the steel tariffs will be increased up to 50 per cent and Washington will stop negotiations with Turkey on a $100 billion trade deal.
Sputnik

The president of the United States said in a statement on his Twitter page that he will be issuing an executive order against current and former officials of Turkish government as well as any persons "contributing to Turkey's destabilizing actions in northeast Syria".

In his statement Trump said that the Turkish offensive is threatening peace, security and stability in the region.

​Trump Also stressed that Washington will "aggressively use" economic sanctions to target "those who enable, facilitate and finance these heinous acts in Syria"

The president said he is "fully prepared to swiftly destroy Turkish economy" if the country's government will continue its course.

Later, US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said that Washington sanctions Turkish defence and energy ministries.

Meanwhile, US state secretary Mike Pompeo said that Trump's decree leaves possibility of additional measures against Turkish officials.

Turkey began its offensive in northern Syria, dubbed "Operation Peace Spring", on 9 October, claiming that it is directed at terrorists based east of the Euphrates. Ankara designates the Kurdish YPG, which was among the US allies in the fight against Daesh*, as a terrorist organisation.

*Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/Islamic State/IS), a terrorist group banned in Russia and a wide number of other countries.

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