Amid Syria turmoil, Andrew Brunson, pastor who'd been imprisoned in Turkey, visits GOP in DC

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VP Pence to travel to Turkey for cease fire negotiations

U.S. troops leave northeastern Syria; chief White House correspondent John Roberts reports.

American pastor Andrew Brunson, whose new book shares his  story of being held as a political hostage for two years in Turkey, traveled to Washington Tuesday to be a guest around town for the GOP.

Vice President Pence tweeted: “Great having Pastor Brunson at the @WhiteHouse as he released his new book, God’s Hostage where he tells his story of imprisonment & freedom in Turkey. Pastor Brunson & his wife now travel the country talking about eroding religious liberties around the world. God Bless you both!”

Pence, as The Associated Press reported, has been dispatched to Turkey to try and reach a cease-fire deal.

"The ongoing violence in the region severely undermines the D-ISIS campaign, endangers civilians and religious minorities and threatens the security of the entire region," the White House said. "The administration is resolved to maintain security in the region, the safety of civilians, and the continued detention of ISIS fighters."

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President Trump has demanded an immediate end to Turkey’s assault against Kurdish fighters and civilians in Syria — an assault Turkey began after Trump announced he was moving U.S. troops out of northeast Syria. That move incited Trump critics across the political spectrum, who said it would leave the Kurds, who'd been U.S. allies in the fight against the Islamic State, vulnerable to Turkish forces.

Now in its seventh day, Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria has caused tens of thousands to flee their homes.

Vice President Mike Pence met with American pastor Andrew Brunson at The White House. (Twitter)

Brunson and his wife spent 25 years in Turkey as missionaries in the largest unevangelized country in the world, working with refugees on the Syrian border, many of which happened to be Kurdish.

Brunson wrote "God's Hostage: A True Story of Persecution, Imprisonment, and Perseverance," which was due out on Tuesday.

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The Trump administration helped secure his release from captivity last year.

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Brunson also delivered the opening prayer, at the behest of Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., before the first formal session of the Senate since late September.