Turkish President Erdogan binned Trump's letter on Syria

In the October 9 letter sent after US troops were pulled out of Syria, Trump told Erdogan, "Don't be a tough guy. Don't be a fool!"

Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan put US President Donald Trump's letter into the dustbin asking him not to be a tough guy or a fool and warning him he will be viewed as a devil if he sends his forces into Syria.

President Erdogan received the letter, thoroughly rejected it and put it in the bin.

In the October 9 letter sent after US troops were pulled out of Syria, Trump told Erdogan, "Don't be a tough guy. Don't be a fool!"

Let's work out a good deal! You don't want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don't want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy and I will.

"History will look upon you favourably if you get this done the right and humane way. It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don't happen," Trump wrote in the letter.

However, the same day the letter was received, Turkey launched a cross-border offensive against Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria.

The US has been criticized for withdrawing its troops from the area, a step seen as a cue for the Turkish military to cross the border.