United States President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to "totally destroy and obliterate" Turkey's economy if the country does anything he considers "off-limits" during their planned operation in Syria.
The statement came hours after the US withdrew its troops from Syria following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statement that Ankara would kick off a military air and ground operation in the country in the coming days.
The US President went on to say that the reason he was elected was to wind down US military operations overseas, adding that the moves could always be reversed.
"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!)," Trump wrote on Twitter.
"I was elected on getting out of these ridiculous endless wars, where our great Military functions as a policing operation to the benefit of people who don't even like the USA," he added.
More than 1,000 US troops had been deployed in northeastern Syria, where they work closely with the Kurdish YPG, which leads the Syrian Democratic Forces in the region.
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The Kurds have proven to be among Washington's most effective allies in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) that has its stronghold in northern Syria.
Erdogan has repeatedly expressed frustration with Washington's close alliance with the Kurds, along his country's border with Syria, linking them to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is a designated terrorist organisation in Turkey. Washington also labels the PKK a terrorist group, but not the YPG.
The US, in an effort to reduce tensions in the region, has been working on establishing a safe zone along the border.
However, the plans have faltered, and the Turkish President in recent days has warned that Ankara will soon be launching a military operation across the border, as soon as within the next couple of days.
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