Trump calls for ceasefire in Turkey’s Syria strikes and orders sanctions as violence escalates

U.S. President Donald Trump has called for an immediate halt to Turkey’s strikes against Kurds in Syria as Washington slapped sanctions on Turkish officials.

Vice President Mike Pence is set to lead a mediation effort.

Washington is “simply not going to tolerate Turkey’s invasion of Syria any longer,” US Vice President Mike Pence told reporters on Monday.

Pence said President Donald Trump had discussed the offensive in a phone call with his Turkish colleague Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Trump “communicated to him very clearly” that the US wanted Turkey to “stop the invasion, implement an immediate ceasefire and to begin to negotiate with Kurdish forces” to end the violence in Syria, according to Pence.

“The United States of America did not give a green light for Turkey to invade Syria,” Pence told reporters in front of the White House.

Pence also said he would be leaving for the Middle East “as quickly as possible” to lead a mediation effort.

“We are calling on Turkey to stand down, end the violence and come to the negotiating table,” he added.

There was no immediate comment from Ankara.