Trump makes 'insane' suggestion Kurds are deliberately freeing Isis prisoners, after hundreds escape during Turkey bombing

Authored by independent.co.uk and submitted by chelsea707

Donald Trump has made the apparently baseless suggestion that Kurdish forces have deliberately been releasing Isis prisoners who are reported to have escaped during Turkey’s offensive in Syria.

As part of his latest in a string of attacks on Fox News – a network that has consistently been supportive of the president – the former reality show presenter attempted to defend himself over widespread criticism of his decision to withdraw US troops, clearing the way for the Turkish attacks.

Hundreds of Isis militants and affiliates reportedly escaped from facilities during shelling over the weekend, and Mr Trump said ”Europe had a chance to get their ISIS prisoners, but didn’t want the cost”.

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And the president used a 7.14am tweet to say, without providing evidence: “Kurds may be releasing some to get us involved. Easily recaptured by Turkey or European Nations from where many came, but they should move quickly.

“Big sanctions on Turkey coming! Do people really think we should go to war with NATO Member Turkey?”

The post prompted instant condemnation, with Vivian Bercovici, Canada’s former ambassador to Israel, labelling it “sheer insanity”.

Shape Created with Sketch. Turkey launches offensive into Syria Show all 25 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Turkey launches offensive into Syria 1/25 Turkish soldiers with armored vehicles EPA 2/25 A woman flees with her children during Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty 3/25 AFP/Getty 4/25 The first group of Turkish infantry prepare to enter Syria on the border Getty 5/25 Civilians flee AFP/Getty 6/25 Smoke billows from targets inside Syria AP 7/25 Turkish armoured vehicles enter Syria in Akcakale Getty 8/25 Civilians leave as smoke rises from Ras al-Ain AFP 9/25 A multi-rocket launcher fires in an unknown location Turkish Defence Ministry via Reuters 10/25 People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border Getty 11/25 Girls stand together in Ras al Ain town Reuters 12/25 A woman walks as smoke billows following Turkish bombardment in Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty 13/25 A Turkish army's tank drives down from a truck towards the border with Syria AFP/Getty 14/25 Turkish jet taxis on tarmac after returning to a military base in southeast Diyarbakir Reuters 15/25 A Turkish armored vehicle drives down a road during a military operation in Kurdish areas of northern Syria EPA 16/25 People sit on belongings at a back of a truck as they flee Ras al Ain town Reuters 17/25 Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters enter Tel Abyad AFP/Getty 18/25 Civilians flee AFP/Getty 19/25 People flee Tal Abyad North Press Agency/Reuters TV 20/25 People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border into Syria Getty 21/25 Civilians flee with their belongings AFP/Getty 22/25 AFP/Getty 23/25 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, speaks with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, left, as they watch the operation by Turkish forces in Kurdish areas EPA 24/25 Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Tal Abyad AFP/Getty 25/25 Turkey-backed members of Syrian National Army prepare for moving to Turkey with heavy armed vehicles EPA 1/25 Turkish soldiers with armored vehicles EPA 2/25 A woman flees with her children during Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty 3/25 AFP/Getty 4/25 The first group of Turkish infantry prepare to enter Syria on the border Getty 5/25 Civilians flee AFP/Getty 6/25 Smoke billows from targets inside Syria AP 7/25 Turkish armoured vehicles enter Syria in Akcakale Getty 8/25 Civilians leave as smoke rises from Ras al-Ain AFP 9/25 A multi-rocket launcher fires in an unknown location Turkish Defence Ministry via Reuters 10/25 People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border Getty 11/25 Girls stand together in Ras al Ain town Reuters 12/25 A woman walks as smoke billows following Turkish bombardment in Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty 13/25 A Turkish army's tank drives down from a truck towards the border with Syria AFP/Getty 14/25 Turkish jet taxis on tarmac after returning to a military base in southeast Diyarbakir Reuters 15/25 A Turkish armored vehicle drives down a road during a military operation in Kurdish areas of northern Syria EPA 16/25 People sit on belongings at a back of a truck as they flee Ras al Ain town Reuters 17/25 Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters enter Tel Abyad AFP/Getty 18/25 Civilians flee AFP/Getty 19/25 People flee Tal Abyad North Press Agency/Reuters TV 20/25 People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border into Syria Getty 21/25 Civilians flee with their belongings AFP/Getty 22/25 AFP/Getty 23/25 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, speaks with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, left, as they watch the operation by Turkish forces in Kurdish areas EPA 24/25 Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Tal Abyad AFP/Getty 25/25 Turkey-backed members of Syrian National Army prepare for moving to Turkey with heavy armed vehicles EPA

Turkey’s defence minister Hulusi Akar has also accused Syrian Kurdish fighters of freeing Isis fighters from a prison in northeast Syria before Turkish troops arrived in the area.

A video of the empty Tel Abyad jail was released by the military in support of its claims.

Both the US and Turkey have faced international criticism over the deteriorating situation in Syria, amid concerns that Isis fighters could take advantage of the conflict to re-establish the terror group.

However Mr Trump has sought to shift the blame on to the Kurdish forces, as well as European countries who refused to take responsibility for their fighters being held in the camps.

On Sunday he tweeted that “Turkey and the Kurds must not let them escape”, before adding: “Europe should have taken them back after numerous requests. They should do it now.”

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The Turkish offensive forced Kurdish forces previously allied with the US to reach a deal with President Bashar Assad’s government, allowing Syrian troops to retake towns and villages near the northern border.

“After the Americans abandoned the region and gave the green light for the Turkish attack, we were forced to explore another option, which is talks with Damascus and Moscow to find a way out and thwart these Turkish attacks,” said senior Kurdish official Badran Jia Kurd.

Turkey has played down the prospect of a wider conflict with the Russian-backed Syrian army following the US withdrawal. ”There are many rumours at the moment,” said Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “However, especially through the embassy and with the positive approach of Russia, it appears there won’t be any issues.”

The European Union has unanimously condemned the Turkish offensive and asked all member states to stop selling arms to the country. Turkey has dismissed the threat of sanctions from the EU and the US as “quips” and “a joke”. It claims its forces are clearing the border area of the Kurdish YPG group, which it views as a terrorist organisation, to form a “safe zone” for refugees.

hubert1504 on October 14th, 2019 at 14:11 UTC »

This is the biggest under reaction to Trump yet.

Donald Trump undid the war against ISIS

That is unreal.

SteakAndNihilism on October 14th, 2019 at 13:54 UTC »

I love how he says "get us involved" as if it's some random unrelated conflict and not the direct and anticipated result of the abandonment of an important US ally in the front lines against ISIS that literally just fucking happened at his behest.

TheDistantGoat on October 14th, 2019 at 13:20 UTC »

Fuck Trump. He is trying to gaslight us again. He is a traitor and should be in prison.