LONDON - Britain is to halt new arms export licences to Turkey as a result of concern over its military operation against Kurdish forces in northeast Syria, the foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Tuesday.

"The UK government takes its arm export control responsibilities very seriously and in this case, of course, we will keep our defence exports to Turkey under very careful and continual review," Raab told parliament.

"No further export licences to Turkey for items that might be used in military operations in Syria will be granted while we conduct that review."

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon and Andrew MacAskill; editing by Michael Holden) ((Andrew.MacAskill@thomsonreuters.com; +447818584430; Reuters Messaging: andrew.macaskill@thomsonreuters.com))