In two tweets on Sunday, Mr Trump said that he did not want the Kurds to provoke Turkey either.

US forces have fought alongside a Kurdish militia in northern Syria against the Islamic State (IS) group.

Turkey, however, regards the People's Protection Units (YPG) as terrorists.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken angrily about American support for the group and vowed to crush it. Turkey's foreign minister has said the country "will not be deterred by any threat".

Mr Trump's comments on Sunday followed further criticism of his abrupt decision to withdraw US forces from Syria.

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