ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The US and Turkey have lifted sanctions imposed on each other’s justice and interior officials.
Ankara lifted its sanctions on US Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Washington lifted its sanctions on Turkey’s Minister of the Interior Suleyman Soylu and Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gul.
Washington had imposed the sanctions in August in response to Turkey’s imprisonment of American Pastor Andrew Brunson.
Brunson was found guilty of terror-related charges by a Turkish court in October, but was freed after being handed a sentence equal to time served. He has since returned to the US.
The row between Ankara and Washington over the pastor dealt a blow to Turkey’s economy.
The two are working to normalize ties, but multiple issues exist between the NATO allies, including US support for Kurds in northern Syria and Turkey’s threats to launch a military offensive against the Kurdish forces it considers a terror organization.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Thursday about bilateral ties and developments in Syria. They agreed to stay in close contact in the coming days, according to the Turkish side.
Ankara lifted its sanctions on US Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Washington lifted its sanctions on Turkey’s Minister of the Interior Suleyman Soylu and Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gul.
Washington had imposed the sanctions in August in response to Turkey’s imprisonment of American Pastor Andrew Brunson.
Brunson was found guilty of terror-related charges by a Turkish court in October, but was freed after being handed a sentence equal to time served. He has since returned to the US.
The row between Ankara and Washington over the pastor dealt a blow to Turkey’s economy.
The two are working to normalize ties, but multiple issues exist between the NATO allies, including US support for Kurds in northern Syria and Turkey’s threats to launch a military offensive against the Kurdish forces it considers a terror organization.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Thursday about bilateral ties and developments in Syria. They agreed to stay in close contact in the coming days, according to the Turkish side.
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