US to slap Turkey with sanctions over Syria

WASHINGTON: The US senators have said that they have agreed on slapping the sanctions on Turkey if its forces are not withdrawn from Syria.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that he and Democrat Chris Van Hollen have introduced legislation that would freeze all US assets of Turkey´s political leaders including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

It would also impose sanctions on organisations that do business with the Turkish military, or with oil and gas companies that service its armed forces.

Sanctions would be levied immediately upon enactment of the bill, which requires a presidential signature.

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Graham and several other US lawmakers are furious over President Donald Trump´s sudden military withdrawal from positions in northern Syria, blasting the move as a betrayal of Kurdish forces who for years have helped fight Islamic militants.

Graham said on Twitter, “While the Administration refuses to act against Turkey, I expect strong bipartisan support.”

It would remain in effect unless the administration certifies to Congress that Turkey was not operating alone and has withdrawn its forces from areas occupied during operations that began on Wednesday.

Trump last year slapped tariffs on Turkey that threw the country´s currency, the lira, into a tailspin as the two sides were at loggerheads over the detention in Turkey of American pastor Andrew Brunson.