The United States of America has slapped Turkey with targeted sanctions after the Turkish military moved into north-eastern Syria in spite of calls not to do so.
Targeted by the sanctions are a number of government ministries and government officials.
The vice president of the US told members of the press that President Donald Trump had placed a call to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to call for an immediate truce.
President Trump had warned the Turkish government that it risked economic sanctions by sending its military forces into areas occupied by Kurdish forces in a bid to reclaim territory.
He said that the attacks by Turkey in north-eastern Syria "undermines the campaign to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, endangers civilians, and further threatens to undermine the peace, security, and stability in the region..."
The movements of the Turkish troops were triggered by the withdrawal of US forces from north-eastern Syria with the Kurdish forces accusing the Trump administration of betrayal.
There have been fears of a confrontation between Turkey and Syrian troops with Russia calling the behaviour of the Turkish military unacceptable.
Russian-backed Syrian forces are said to be moving towards the areas from which the United States withdrew.
In the confusion, the Kurdish militants have proved to be a reliable ally in the war against the Islamic State.