Turkey's assault on Syrian Kurdish forces has not breached a red line declared by President Donald Trump, a US official said Thursday, as he added that Washington wanted to broker a ceasefire.
Trump, in a week of mixed messages, initially voiced understanding for Turkey before criticizing the offensive and warning of sanctions if the operation is not "humane."
Asked to define what actions would violate Trump's vague warning, the US official said they would include "ethnic cleansing... indiscriminate artillery, air and other fires directed at civilian populations."
He said that the operation launched Wednesday was not yet large-scale, saying the Turks "really have not engaged in great depth or in great numbers inside the border yet."