WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th October, 2019) US President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order vastly expanding the United States' ability to impose economic sanctions on Turkey over the nation's invasion of northern Syria, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters.
Friday marked the third day of Turkey's offensive in northern Syria against Kurdish fighters which came after the United States agreed to shift troops away from the target area.
"I just met with President Trump, and he has authorized and will be signing a new executive order giving the Treasury Department... very significant new sanctions authorities that can be targeted at any person associated with the government of Turkey, any portion of the government," Mnuchin said on Friday. "These are very powerful sanctions. We hope we don't have to use them. But we can shut down the Turkish economy if we need to."
It is imperative, Mnuchin added, that Turkey not allow to escape a single fighter from the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia).
"The president is concerned about the ongoing [Turkish] military offensive and potential targeting of civilians, civilian infrastructure, ethnic or religious minorities," Mnuchin said.
Although sanctions were not yet in place, Mnuchin indicated that penalties would be imposed in short order. The US Treasury had notified the nation's finance minister of the impending US penalties, Mnunchin said, and has warned financial institutions to be careful in lending to Turkey.
Trump came under fire for deciding to shift US troops away from the region ahead of the Turkish invasion although the White House has denied green-lighting Ankara's operation. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Eliot Engel on Friday announced hearings on the US withdrawal next week.
Earlier on Friday the Turkish Defense Ministry said that as many as 399 terrorists have been "neutralized" as a result of Antara's offensive in northeastern Syria,
According to recent statements by the Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party of Syria, dozens of civilians have been killed, hundreds injured and thousands displaced since the start of the operation.
