After Germany and the Netherlands, France has also temporarily stopped exporting weapons to Turkey. This is not a complete ban but concerns only the types of weapons that can be used in the Turkish invasion against the Kurds in northern Syria.
On Monday, it will be decided whether the EU and NATO will do the same. All foreign ministers of the EU member states are holding consultations on the European Union's position on this matter.
France has warned Ankara that the offensive in Syria endangers European security. The Arab League called for an end to the aggression and the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Turkey from all Syrian territories.
The Turkish army has been carrying out a large operation in Syria since Wednesday, during which hundreds of Kurdish fighters are said to have already been killed. There are also circulating images of massacres along the highway and bombings of residential neighborhoods.
Turkish President Erdogan wants to establish a ‘safe zone’ in northern Syria. This area borders Kurdish territory in northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey and is partly controlled by a Kurdish-led coalition. Erdogan views this group of Kurds as an extension of the PKK, which several countries regard as a terrorist organization.
The Kurds in northern Syria have successfully supported American troops and NATO forces in recent years in the fight against the jihadists of the ISIS caliphate. The Kurds currently guard multiple prisons where Islamic State (IS) fighters are held. There are fears that the Turkish attack on the Kurds will lead to the escape or release of those IS fighters.
Due to the violence, one hundred thousand people in northern Syria have fled since Wednesday. Many are heading south.
The international community has condemned the Turkish action. In response, Erdogan threatens to stop hosting the millions of Syrian refugees who have arrived in Turkey in recent years and wish to continue on to Europe.
On Saturday, thousands of Kurds took to the streets in several European cities to protest against the Turkish invasion of Kurdish areas.