Erdogan, Trump agreed to avoid power vacuum in Syria: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US counterpart Donald Trump have agreed to prevent a power vacuum in Syria after American ground forces withdraw. Turkish Presidency in a statement said that both the leaders in a phone conversation yesterday agreed to ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria.

Mr Trump tweeted that the two leaders had a long and productive



call and also discussed the Islamic State group and heavily expanded trade. On Friday, he announced plans to pull the 2,000 US troops out of Syria, where they have been helping coordinate a multinational fight against Islamic State. 

Trump's decision shocked the US allies, while Turkey lauded it. An American pullout would allow Turkish troops to move against the hardened Kurdish fighters in Syria as Kurdish fighters are deemed as terrorists by the Ankara.