The Latest: US seeks Turkish troops’ exit from Syria town

DAVOS, Switzerland –  The Latest on the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (all times local):

10:40 a.m.

President Donald Trump’s homeland security adviser says the United States would prefer that Turkish troops “remove themselves” from a conflict in the Syrian border town of Afrin, and appealed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to focus on “longer-term strategic goals” of a peaceable Syria.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, before Trump’s imminent arrival, Tom Bossert said Turkey “ought to be mindful of the potential for escalation as they move into Syria and Afrin.”

The United States has previously expressed concerns about Turkish efforts against the Kurdish-led SDF forces that drove Islamic State fighters from much of northeastern Syria with the help of a U.S.-led coalition.

Bossert said Thursday it would be a “terrible outcome” if Turkish troops clashed with “the proxy forces that we have all been relying on to defeat ISIS, especially if there are U.S. advisers in the region.”

He said: “There could be grave consequences to any miscalculation and escalation.”

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9:10 a.m.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the U.S is “not concerned” about the value of the dollar in the short-term.

At a press briefing at the World Economic Forum on Thursday, Mnuchin said the short-term value of the dollar is dependent on many factors in what is a very liquid market.

In the longer-term, he said, the U.S. currency’s value will be determined by the underlying strength of the U.S. economy.

On Wednesday, Mnuchin sparked a big dollar sell-off when he said the recent fall in the value of the dollar was “good” for trade. The euro, for example, spiked to a three-year high.

Mnuchin insisted Thursday that his comment on the dollar was “balanced and consistent.”