Trump talks by phone with Erdogan for first time since taking office

US President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Tuesday night with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan, the first conversation between the leaders of the two countries since Trump entered the Oval Office. The US president said during the conversation that he sees Turkey as a NATO ally and a partner in the global war against ISIS terror. The two leaders agreed on joint military operations in the areas of Al-Bab and Raqqa in Syria as well as on the issue of Syrian safe zones that DEBKAfile reported previously. Meanwhile, Turkish sources said that the head of the CIA, Mike Pompeo, will visit the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday.