US, Turkey agree to cease-fire in northern Syria
Xinhua
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Vice President Mike Pence meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Palace for talks on the Kurds and Syria, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Ankara, Turkey. (Photo: AP)

ANKARA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States and Turkey have agreed on a cease-fire in northern Syria, US Vice President Mike Pence said on Thursday in the Turkish capital Ankara.

The truce will last five days for the Kurdish militia to retreat and the United States will lift its sanctions against Ankara once the cease-fire is in place, Pence said at a press conference following a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey launched the cross-border military operation against the Kurdish militia in northern Syria on Oct. 9, with a view to securing its border and facilitating the return of the Syrian refugees being sheltered on Turkish land.