Germany approved 3 million euros worth of arms exports to Turkey since launch of Operation Peace Spring: Report

Duvar English

Germany has approved arms exports to Turkey worth 3.09 million euros within six weeks following the launch of Turkey's military operation into northeastern Syria, dubbed Operation Peace Spring, Deutsche Welle Turkish reported on Nov. 29.

The new arms exports approvals came to light after The Left Party's (Die Linke) MP Sevim Dağdelen submitted a parliamentary question regarding the issue. In its answer, the German economy ministry said that the approvals “did not include weapons that might be usable in the operation in Syria,” Deutsche Welle said, basing its report on the German Press Agency dpa.

The ministry said that the German government had approved 2.69 million euros worth of military equipment for the use of naval forces, 400,000 euros worth of electronic devices for the use of military purposes and 2,556 euros worth of light weapons.

German MP Dağdelen said that Germany's continuing to approve arms exports to Turkey is “completely irresponsible.” “There needs to be an overall ban on weapons exports to Turkey,” she said.

On Oct. 9, Turkish armed forces launched ‘Operation Peace Spring,’ a military offensive for the expressed goal of creating a 30-km “safe zone” in northeastern Syria.

Only three days after the Turkish offensive, on Oct. 12, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told a German newspaper that Germany banned exports of arms which Turkey could use in Operation Peace Spring in Syria.

"Given the background of the Turkish military offensive in northeastern Syria, the Federal Government will not issue any new permits for any military equipment that could be used in Syria by Turkey," Maas told Bild am Sonntag.

Germany exported arms worth 243 million euros to Turkey in 2018, accounting for almost one third of its weapons exports, according to Bild Am Sonntag.