Turkey disputes US statement on Trump-Erdogan discussion on Afrin operation

ANKARA -- A phone conversation between Turkish and the US presidents on Wednesday about Syria has sparked controversy as Erdogan denies Trump's remarks over Turkish incursion in Kurdish enclave Afrin of Syria.

The US and Turkey have released contradicting readouts of the phone call between US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, revealing again the deepened disagreements between the two NATO allies on the issue of Syria.

Two leaders exchanged views on the "Operation Olive Branch" launched by Turkey on Jan 20, a written statement by the Turkish presidency said.

The phone conversation focused on the importance of bilateral cooperation in fighting terrorism, the Turkey's statement said noting that Erdogan stated the goal of the military incursion was to clear Afrin off "terrorist elements" for Turkey's national security.

A White House readout about the phone conversation between two leaders came after the Turkish one.

Trump "relayed concerns that escalating violence in Afrin, Syria, risks undercutting our shared goals in Syria. He urged Turkey to deescalate, limit its military actions, and avoid civilian casualties and increase in the number of displaced persons and refugees," according to the White House press release.

Trump also "urged Turkey to exercise caution and to avoid any actions that might risk conflict between Turkish and American forces," it said in an indirect reference to Turkey's plans to extend its military operation into Manbij region in Syria where the US soldiers are deployed.

He "reiterated that both nations must focus all parties on the shared goal of achieving the lasting defeat of ISIS," and "invited closer bilateral cooperation to address Turkey's legitimate security concerns," said the statement.

Trump expressed "concern about the destructive and false anti-American rhetoric emanating from Turkey, and about United States citizens and local employees detained under the prolonged State of Emergency in Turkey."

However, in midnight late Wednesday, an anonymous Turkish official refuted context of the White House readout on Turkey's media.