German ammunition exports rocket by nearly 1000 percent

Germany’s small arms ammunition exports increased 10-fold in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, according to an arms export report leaked on Tuesday.

The report also shows that German arms exports in total have hit a new record high, netting the country €4bn ($4.35bn) in the first six months of 2016.

It is due to be discussed by the German parliament on Wednesday, but was leaked to the press by the German Press Agency (DPA) a day early.

Arms sales are a sensitive issue in Germany, and the report's findings have stoked controversy.

Germany's economy minister, whose department is responsible for arms export licences, had pledged in 2014 to “act more cautiously” when it came to approving contracts for small arms sales.

Small arms are known to be the biggest cause of civilian deaths in conflicts worldwide, including in Iraq, where Germany plays an active role.

Exports of German small arms ammunition this year have focused on its NATO allies – including Turkey – and on so-called "NATO equal" states like Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland.

However, Iraq was also one of the biggest buyers of German ammunition, purchasing supplies worth €5.4mn ($5.88mn) in the first six months of 2016.

Germany is backing Kurdish forces in Iraq in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group. This August it unfroze weapons deliveries to the Peshmerga with a shipment that included a million rounds of ammunition and 100 guided missiles.

In total, approved ammunition sales ballooned from €27mn ($29.4mn) in the first six months of 2015 to €283.8mn ($309.3mn) in the same period this year.

German arms exports in general have beaten a record set in the first half of 2015, with sales totalling €4bn ($4.35bn) between January and June of this year.

Contracts with Saudi Arabia have more than doubled between last year and this year, shooting up from €179mn ($195mn) in the first half of 2015 to €484mn ($527.4mn) during the same period in 2016.

Overall, Saudi Arabia is the third-biggest customer of German-made weaponry.

Turkey, the 25^th biggest buyer of German arms in 2015, jumped to eighth place in its customer list this year.

The report – and especially the staggering jump in small arms ammunition sales – sparked anger among opposition politicians, who on Tuesday called for a complete ban on the exports.

The opposition Left Party’s arms export spokesperson, Jan van Aken, called for “clear legal bans, first and foremost an immediate ban on small arms exports”.

Green Party MP Agnieszka Brugger accused the government of “throwing its own strict export guidelines in the bin”.

This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition.