US President Donald Trump threatened to “totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey” if Ankara does anything he would consider to be “off limits” in Syria, after previously announcing he would not stop a Turkish invasion of the area.

“As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!)” Trump posted on Twitter, referring to sanctions last year.

Trump stressed that Turkey and European nations would be responsible for a prison camp in north-east Syria where thousands of Islamic State fighters and families are held. “It is time now for others in the region, some of great wealth, to protect their own territory.”

The president is facing pushback in Congress over his decision to withdrew US troops from the border area. The White House had announced that Turkey would move ahead with its “long-planned operation” in Syria and that the US would not be involved.