This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50056358
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Turkey-Syria offensive: UK government halts arms export licences to Turkey | |
(32 minutes later) | |
The UK government is to suspend arms export licences to Turkey amid concerns over its military operation in northern Syria, Downing Street has said. | The UK government is to suspend arms export licences to Turkey amid concerns over its military operation in northern Syria, Downing Street has said. |
Speaking in the Commons, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the UK would keep its exports to Turkey under "very careful and continual review". | Speaking in the Commons, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the UK would keep its exports to Turkey under "very careful and continual review". |
The Turkish offensive, which began last week, aims to push Kurdish-led forces from the border region. | The Turkish offensive, which began last week, aims to push Kurdish-led forces from the border region. |
Dozens of civilians have been killed in the operation so far. | Dozens of civilians have been killed in the operation so far. |
Meanwhile, at least 160,000 have fled the area, according to the UN. | |
The Turkish government wants to create a "safe zone" in the area, where it can resettle up to two million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey. | |
Mr Raab told MPs the UK government has called on Turkey to "exercise maximum restraint and to bring an end to this unilateral military action". | |
"This is not the action we expected from an ally," he said. | |
"It is reckless, it is counter-productive and it plays straight into the hands of Russia and indeed the [Syrian President] Assad regime." | |
He went on: "I can tell the House that no further export licences to Turkey for items which might be used in military operations in Syria will be granted while we conduct that review." | |
Concerns have been raised for the future of some British orphans identified as being held in camps in Syria because their parents were supporters of, or fighters in, the so-called Islamic State group. | |
Mr Raab said he did not want to see foreign Islamic State fighters returned to the UK but minors and orphans would be considered. |