Germany's Merkel tells Erdogan to halt Syria offensive immediately

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call on Sunday to bring to an immediate halt the military operation in northern Syria, a German government spokeswoman said.

"The Chancellor advocated an immediate end to the military operation," the spokeswoman said in a statement.

The phone call took place at Erdogan's request, she said.