Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a joint press conference with Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic (not in the picture) in Ankara, Turkey, on Jan. 16, 2019. The bomb attack in Syria's northern city of Manbij killed 20 people, including five U.S. soldiers, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday. The Islamic State (IS) militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the incident is trying to influence U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull out from Syria, Erdogan said in a joint press conference with the visiting Croatian president. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)
ANKARA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The bomb attack in Syria's northern city of Manbij killed 20 people, including five U.S. soldiers, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.
The Islamic State (IS) militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the incident is trying to influence U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull out from Syria, Erdogan said in a joint press conference with the visiting Croatian president.
"But I believe Trump will not take a step back against a terror attack because I have seen his determination on this point," the Turkish president noted.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the attack in a written statement.
It is the first deadly attack on U.S. troops in Syria since Trump announced his plan to withdraw all troops from the country last December.
