U.S., Turkey agree to cease-fire to allow Kurdish forces to retreat

LONDON — Vice President Mike Pence announced Thursday that the U.S. reached a cease-fire agreement with Turkey to suspend its military operation in Syria to allow Kurdish forces to retreat from a designated safe zone.

Pence said that Turkey will suspend its military operations for five days to allow Kurdish forces to leave the zone, and U.S. forces will aid in the retreat.

The agreement comes amid growing global concern about Turkey’s military incursion in Syria after President Donald Trump ordered U.S. forces to withdraw from the country, leaving the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG — a U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State — without support.

"I'm grateful for the president's leadership. I'm grateful for the more than five hours of negotiations with President [Recep] Erdogan,” Pence said, adding that the parties “arrived at a solution that we believe will save lives."

Trump told reporters ahead of an event in Texas that his unorthodox approach to the conflict helped make the deal possible, calling Erdogan "very smart" and a "friend."