France and Germany halt arms exports to Turkey over Syria offensive

Boris Johnson expressed 'grave concern' over the Turkish operation but stopped short of announcing a weapons embargo

A Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighter fires a weapon in the town of Tal Abyad, Syria October 13, 2019. Reuters

Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighters sit in a military truck in the village of Yabisa, near the Turkish-Syrian border, Syria, October 13, 2019. Reuters

Smoke rises over the Syrian town of Ras al-Ain, as seen from the Turkish border town of Ceylanpinar, Turkey. The military action is part of a campaign to extend Turkish control of more of northern Syria, a large swath of which is currently held by Syrian Kurds, whom Turkey regards as a threat. U.S. President Donald Trump granted tacit American approval to this campaign, withdrawing his country's troops from several Syrian outposts near the Turkish border. Getty Images

Turkish-based Syrian fighters sit inside an armoured personnel carrier near the Syrian border town of Tal Abyad, as they prepare to take part in the Turkish-led assault on northeastern Syria. Ankara stepped up its assault on Kurdish-held border towns in northeastern Syria, defying mounting threats of international sanctions, even from Washington. AFP

Wounded Turkish-backed Syrian fighters pass Akcakale disrict near Turkey-Syria border wall Akcakale district in Sanliurfa, Turkey. Turkey has launched an offensive targeting Kurdish forces in north-eastern Syria, days after the US withdrew troops from the area. EPA

A Turkish-backed Syrian rebel rests as they gather near the border town of Ras al-Ain, as Turkey and it's allies continued their assault on Kurdish-held border towns in northeastern Syria. Turkey kept up its assault on Kurdish-held border towns in northeastern Syria on Saturday on the fourth day of an offensive that is drawing growing international condemnation, even from Washington. AFP

People mourn in front of the grave of Halil Yagmur who was killed in a mortar attack a day earlier in Suruc near northern Syria border, during funeral ceremony in Suruc. Ten Turkish civilians were killed in cross-border shelling on Friday, while four of Turkey's soldiers died as Ankara pressed on with its offensive against Kurdish militants in Syria. Eight civilians were killed and 35 injured in one mortar strike in Nusaybin in Mardin province, according to the governor's office cited by local media. AFP

A group of Turkey-backed Syrian fighters prepares for offensive at a village near Turkish border in Yabisa, Syria in this still image taken from a video. Reuters

A Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighter sits with his weapon near the border town of Tel Abyad, Syria. REUTERS

This picture taken Turkey near the town of Suruc shows a US observation post near the Syrian town of Kobani Kobane where the Pentagon said an explosion occurred "within a few hundred meters." The US said on October 11, 2019 its troops had come under artillery fire and warned that the US was prepared to meet aggression with "immediate defensive action," but Turkey denied targeting the US base. Turkey's Defense minister said they had returned fire after Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) shelled a Turkish border police station from hills located one kilometre (1,100 yards) away from the observation post. US troops pulled back from positions along the Turkey-Syria border last week ahead of a Turkish operation against Kurdish militants in Syria. The YPG was a close ally of the US in its fight against the Islamic State group but is seen by Ankara as a "terrorist" off-shoot of Kurdish insurgents in Turkey. AFP

A Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighter holds the Syrian opposition flag near the border town of Tel Abyad, Syria. REUTERS

Relatives mourn during a funeral of a Syrian Democratic Forces fighter in the Syrian town of Qamishli, Turkey's military says it has captured a key Syrian border town Ras al-Ayn under heavy bombardment in its most significant gain as its offensive against Kurdish fighters presses into its fourth day. AP Photo

Turkish-backed Syrian opposition fighters evacuate an injured fellow combatant in Tel Abyad, Syria. AP

Syrians bury Syrian Democratic Forces fighters killed fighting Turkish advance in the Syrian town of Qamishli, Turkey's military says it has captured a key Syrian border town Ras al-Ayn under heavy bombardment in its most significant gain as its offensive against Kurdish fighters presses into its fourth day. AP Photo

Turkish police special forces patrol in Akcakale on the Turkish-Syrian border, in Sanliurfa province, Turkey. REUTERS

A Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighter holds a weapon as he stands with his fellow fighters near the border town of Tel Abyad, Syria. REUTERS

A Turkish military armoured vehicle fires towards the Syrian town of Tal Abyad from the Turkish side of the border in Akcakale, Turkey. The military action is part of a campaign to extend Turkish control of more of northern Syria, a large swath of which is currently held by Syrian Kurds, whom Turkey regards as a threat. U.S. President Donald Trump granted tacit American approval to this campaign, withdrawing his country's troops from several Syrian outposts near the Turkish border. Getty Images

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu visits the Syrian border, in Akcakale district in Sanliurfa, Turkey. Turkey has launched an offensive targeting Kurdish forces in north-eastern Syria, days after the US withdrew troops from the area. EPA

Syrian patient Fatima al-Issa who was hit by shrapnel during Turkish bombardment of Ras al-Ain, receives treatment at a hospital in the town of Tal Tamr in the countryside of Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province. Ankara stepped up its assault on Kurdish-held border towns in northeastern Syria in an offensive that has so far displaced some 100,000 people, according to the United Nations, while aid groups have warned of yet another humanitarian disaster in Syria's eight-year-old war if the offensive is not stopped. AFP

France and Germany have announced a suspension of arms exports to Turkey in response to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s military operation against Kurdish fighters in Syria.

The French government made the announcement on Saturday evening hours after German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Berlin had stopped exports to Ankara.

"Against the backdrop of the Turkish military offensive in north-eastern Syria, the federal government will not issue new permits for all armaments that could be used by Turkey in Syria," Mr Maas told Bild am Sonntag.

Germany is one of Turkey's main arms suppliers. Bild reported that exports to Turkey totalled €242.8 million (Dh981m), nearly a third of all of Germany's weapons sales.

The French government said it was immediately halting “all export projects of armaments to Turkey that could be used as part of the offensive in Syria”.

In response, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told German radio station Deutsche Welle that Berlin’s embargo would not deter the Turkish military operation.

"Even if our allies support the terrorist organisation, even if we are alone, even if an embargo is imposed, whatever they do, our struggle is directed against the terrorist organisation," he said, referring to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

Supported by the US, the YPG was the backbone of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which uprooted much of ISIS from Syria.

Ankara believes the YPG is an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state for more than 30 years.

Mr Cavusoglu repeated a threat made by Mr Erdogan to "open the doors" for more than three million Syrian refugees in Turkey to enter Europe.

France and Germany joined fellow European nations Finland, Norway and The Netherlands, who announced a suspension of arms sales to Turkey earlier in the week.

The EU has spoken out about the Turkish offensive, which began on October 9.

The bloc could decide to impose a blanket arms embargo at a meeting of European leaders on Thursday and Friday, but the decision would have to be unanimous among all 28 member states.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed "grave concern" about the military operation in a call with Mr Erdogan on Saturday evening but stopped short of a weapons embargo.

"The prime minister was clear that the UK cannot support Turkey’s military action," a spokesman for Mr Johnson said.

"He urged the president to end the operation and enter into dialogue."

There was a demonstration in London organised by Kurdish groups on Sunday afternoon, a day after thousands marched in France, Germany and Greece to protest against the offensive.