Trump celebrates as Turkey calls ceasefire in Syria
US president says ‘millions of lives will be saved’ - but analysts doubt Kurds will comply

Turkey has agreed to a ceasefire in northern Syria, to let Kurdish-led forces withdraw, at a meeting between US Vice-President Mike Pence and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Under the terms of the deal, all fighting will pause for five days, and Washington will help the withdrawal of Kurdish-led troops from what Turkey terms a “safe zone” on the border.
The agreement could halt “the latest bloodshed in Syria’s long war”, reports The Guardian, but CNN says it “appears to give Turkey everything it wants,” forcing the Kurds, “America's one-time allies in the fight against Isis” to cede “a vast swath of territory”.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Donald Trump welcomed the deal. “Great news out of Turkey!” he wrote on Twitter, just before Pence announced the deal. “Millions of lives will be saved.”
He later told the media that the ceasefire was “a great day for civilisation”, and praised Erdogan as “a hell of a leader”.
However, there are doubts about whether the Kurdish YPG will fully comply with the agreement. Many Syrian Kurds feel that the deal gives Turkey what it sought from the start: removal of Kurdish-led forces from the border.
“Our people did not want this war,” the Kurdish political leader Saleh Muslim told local television. “We welcome the ceasefire, but we will defend ourselves in the event of any attack… Ceasefire is one thing and surrender is another thing, and we are ready to defend ourselves. We will not accept the occupation of northern Syria.”
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Commander Mazloum Kobani of the Syrian Democratic Forces said that although Kurdish-led forces would observe the agreement in the area where fighting has been fierce, he had “not discussed the fate of other areas”.
The news of the ceasefire came after a report in The Times that Turkey has used white phosphorus against Kurdish civilians during the offensive. Kurdish leaders have accused Turkish forces of using the chemical, which is banned for use on civilian targets by the Geneva and Chemical Weapons conventions.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Get your first six issues for £6–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
-
Lavender marriage grows in generational appeal
In the spotlight Millennials and Gen Z are embracing these unions to combat financial uncertainty and the rollback of LGBTQ+ rights
-
The 5 best zombie TV shows of all time
The Week Recommends For undead aficionados, the age of abundance has truly arrived
-
Magazine solutions - October 10, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - October 10, 2025
-
US tipped to help Kyiv strike Russian energy sites
Speed Read Trump has approved providing Ukraine with intelligence for missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure
-
Netanyahu agrees to Trump’s new Gaza peace plan
Speed Read At President Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they agreed upon a plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of Taiwan
In the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdown
IN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
Inside Syria’s al-Hol camp
Under the radar Aid cuts mean authorities face ‘uphill struggle’ to maintain security
-
The dark history of myths about immigrants eating swans and pets
In the Spotlight Nigel Farage has mimicked Donald Trump and peddled tropes and rumours that have long been used to ‘dehumanise’ immigrants
-
What would happen if Israel lost America’s support?
Today’s big question Loss of US backing could be a ‘catastrophe’ for Israel
-
Charlie Kirk, Jimmy Kimmel and free speech
Talking Point TV host’s cancellation and Trump administration’s threats to media have led to accusations of Maga hypocrisy