Germany bans exports of arms to Turkey - Bild Am Sonntag

Reuters
Updated

FRANKFURT, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Germany has banned arms exports to Turkey as a reaction to the country's assault on the Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria, German weekly Bild Am Sonntag (Bams) quoted the foreign minister as saying on Saturday.

"Against the backdrop of the Turkish military offensive in north-eastern Syria, the Federal Government will not issue any new permits for all military equipment that could be used by Turkey in Syria", Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told the paper.

Germany exported arms worth 243 million euros ($268 million) to Turkey in 2018, accounting for almost one third of all German weapons exports, according to the paper. ($1 = 0.9058 euros) (Reporting by Arno Schuetze Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)