Turkey agrees to pause fighting in Syria

ADEM ALTAN / AFP [US Vice President Mike Pence (R) and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) attend a press conference in Ankara]

Turkey has agreed to suspend its military operations in northern Syria after talks with the US.

US Vice President Mike Pence made the announcement at a news conference in Ankara.

There will be a temporary ceasefire to allow Kurdish forces to move out.

Fighting will be paused for five days.

Turkey launched the cross-border offensive last week after America decided to withdraw troops from the region.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 300,000 civilians had been displaced within Syria since the start of the assault.

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