TURKEY’S authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was accused of waging war on northern Syria from his political death bed as he was becoming increasingly isolated on the global stage.

Speaking last night, Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) spokesman Sabri Ok described Mr Erdogan as “the fascist of the century” but said that the attack on Rojava was not a result of his strength. 

“Erdogan is carrying out these attacks from his death bed … Erdogan’s life may not end in weeks, but it will end in months,” he insisted.

The people of Turkey gained nothing from Mr Erdogan’s war, Mr Ok explained.

“On the contrary, he has created a crisis within society, the economy and politics. Erdogan cannot handle all this.

“As such, it cannot play a role in Syria against Russia and the US. As a matter of fact Erdogan has lost.”

Erdogan continues to insist that he will not back down from a war that increasingly unfavourable towards Turkey. 

Its forces have failed to take control of a number of towns and cities including Sere Kaniye where it is meeting fierce resistance from Kurdish fighters. 

It has resorted to airstrikes and heavy artillery fire on the city centre which has inflicted a number of civilian casualties.

Intense battles continued late today.

Its invasion has failed to move far into Syrian territory, with the Turkish army and its jihadist allies only managing to hold the border town of Tell Abyad.

Turkish artillery shelling started again near Derik today. 

This marked the first Turkish military engagement along the Derik-Qamishlo line since the agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government was reached late on Sunday.

Mr Erdogan backed down today after initially warning that he would not meet US Vice-President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who were on their way to Ankara to discuss a possible ceasefire.

“I am standing tall. I will not meet them. I will speak when Trump comes,” he said.

But late this afternoon his communications director Fahrettin Altun said he would meet the US delegation face to face.

He remained defiant and insisted he would not agree to a ceasefire.

“They are pressuring us to stop the operation. They are announcing sanctions. Our goal is clear. We are not worried about any sanctions.”

Unconfirmed reports suggest that Turkish forces bombed Sere Kaniye with the banned substance phosphorus as the Star went to press today.