Trump claims ‘great wisdom’ and issues threats to Turkey

ALLIES: Fears move will overturn achievement in battle against IS

President Donald Trump has threatened to destroy Turkey’s economy if Turkey goes “off limits” after his decision to pull US forces out of north-eastern Syria.

In a series of tweets, Mr Trump defended his move that could open the way for Turkey to launch an attack on Kurdish fighters across the border.

The withdrawal was heavily criticised even by Mr Trump’s Republican allies.

Kurdish forces were key US allies in defeating the Islamic State in Syria.

Mr Trump’ s surprise move–described by the main Kurdish-led group as a “stab in the back” – goes against the advice of senior officials in the Pentagon and state department.

In a bizarre Twitter outburst, Mr Trump wrote: “As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!). They must, with Europe and others, watch over...”

Syrian Kurdish fighters warned that Washington’s abrupt decision to stand aside – announced by the White House late on Sunday – will overturn years of achievements in the battle against militants from so-called Islamic State (IS).

In a strongly worded statement, they accused Washington of failing to abide by its commitments to its key allies.

There was no immediate confirmation from the White House of US troops clearing northern Suyrian positions.

However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said American troops have started pulling back, and a video posted by a Kurdish news agency showed a convoy of American armoured vehicles apparently heading away from the border area of Tal Abyad.

On Sunday the White House said US troops “will no longer be in the immediate area” in northern Syria”.

Picture: Getty. A drill at a military training area in Aleppo.