According to Maria Adebahr, German foreign ministry spokeswoman, German ambassador Martin Erdmann and Turkish Defence Minister Nurettin Canikli were to talk about ‘how the Turkish operation is equipped'.

The German government has come under domestic pressure after battlefield images appeared to show Turkey deploying German-made Leopard 2 tanks in its offensive to oust Kurdish militants in northern Syria.

German conservative lawmaker Norbert Roettgen, who heads the parliamentary committee of foreign affairs, urged Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel to halt further arms deals with Turkey.

Roettgen said: “It is completely out of the question for Germany to increase the combat strength of the Leopard tanks in Turkey if the Turkish Army is going after the Kurds in northern Syria.”

Roettgen, a leading figure in Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party, said weapons deliveries to Turkey should instead “be banned due to the human rights situation and the dismantling of the rule of law in the country.”

Reporter’s code: 50101