Trump says Turkey and Kurds needed to fight ‘like two kids’
October 18, 2019, 9:40 am

Trump says Turkey and Kurds needed to fight ‘like two kids’

US President Donald Trump. (File photo Reuters)

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he allowed Turkish and Kurdish-led forces to clash in deadly battle because the two sides were like children who needed to fight each other.

“It was unconventional what I did. I said they’re going to have to fight a little while,” Trump told a rally of supporters in Texas. “Like two kids in a lot, you have got to let them fight and then you pull them apart … They fought for a few days and it was pretty vicious.”

Trump triggered the week-long Turkish offensive against the Kurdish-led forces by withdrawing US troops from northeast Syria.

More than 500 people have been killed including dozens of civilians, mostly on the Kurdish side, and 300,000 civilians have been displaced within Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.

Trump stressed that “not one drop of American blood” was shed.

On Thursday, Turkey – after talks with US Vice President Mike Pence – agreed to suspend its offensive and to end the assault if Kurdish-led forces withdraw from a safe zone along the border.

“We went there and we said we want a pause, and the Kurds have been terrific. They’re going to move back a little bit,” Trump said.

“We are going to keep ISIS nice and locked up. We are going to find more of them, and Turkey is all set,” he added.

Trump has faced accusations even from usually loyal supporters that his withdrawal of 1,000 US troops betrayed the Kurdish-led forces who bore the brunt of the fight against ISIS in recent years.

Brett McGurk, former presidential special envoy for the anti-ISIS coalition, described Trump’s remarks about “two kids” fighting as “obscene and ignorant.”

https://twitter.com/brett_mcgurk/status/1185024069491539968

“200k innocent people displaced. Hundreds dead. Credible reports of war crimes. ISIS prisoners escaping. US evacuating and bombing its own positions or handing them to Russia. Two kids in a lot?” he said on Twitter.

source:AFP

Shelling, gunfire continues in northeast Syria after ceasefire deal: Reuters US says struck ceasefire deal knowing Kurdish YPG could not hold territory

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”