Germany approved 25.9 million euros worth of arms exports to Turkey after Syria operation: Report

Duvar English

Germany has approved 25.9 million euros worth of arms deliveries to Turkey for the period covering Oct. 10, 2019 – June 22, 2020, Turkish Evrensel reported on Aug. 3.

The information came to light after The Left Party’s (“Die Linke”) MP Sevim Dağdelen submitted a parliamentary question regarding the issue to the German Economics Ministry.

The ministry said that there was no weapons of war among these exports in line with Germany's partial arms export ban on Turkey, which is in effect since October of last year.

Following Turkey’s operation into northeastern Syria on Oct. 9, 2019, Germany imposed a partial arms export ban on Turkey, which applies to weapons that can be used in the Syrian war.

MP Dağdelen however believes that the arms approved since October could also be made operational for use in Syria. These arms include guns, sporting guns, radars, explosives and various other military equipment, daily Evrensel said.

“When the issue is weapons that Turkey has bought from Germany to be used in the Syrian war, the German government is misguiding the people. Therefore, as Die Linke party, we are demanding a complete ban on arms exports to Turkey. In the first six months of this year only, Germany has sold to Turkey weapons which are possible to be used in Syria and Iraq,” Dağdelen was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

In July, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Berlin is no longer approving arms exports to Turkey, except for equipment used in the naval forces.

Maas made the comments in response to a German newspaper’s question as to why the German government is not completely halting its arms exports to Turkey, which has played a role in the Libyan and Syrian conflicts.