December 20, 2008
Yemen Primary Source of Illegal Arms to Somalia
The UN monitoring group on the 1992 arms embargo on Somalia finds "Yemen remains the most important source of commercial arms transfers to Somalia."
One shipment for the ONLF in Ethiopia contained 101 anti-tank mines, 100 hand grenades, 170 rocket-propelled grenade-7 rounds, and 170 boxes of 7.62 mm ammunition, each containing 440 rounds. The mines were packed in rice sacks from a company in Sana'a.
143. Not surprisingly, there appears to be an intersection between piracy and other criminal activities, such as arms trafficking and human trafficking, both of which involve the movement of small craft across the Gulf of Aden. One sub-group of the Puntland network, based in the Bari region, allegedly uses the same boats employed for piracy to move refugees and economic migrants from Somalia to Yemen, bringing arms and ammunition on the return journey.
Commercial weapons trafficking in Yemen is often sponsored by those in official positions. The largest Yemeni purported weapons dealers (for example, Faris Manna, Regent Street, Sana'a) are said to be partners with some very top officials (President Salah & family). This is part of the reason the military budget is so high. Not only is this hooked in with piracy and refugee smuggling but also drug and oil smuggling. Its John Gotti with an air force.
By Jane at December 20, 2008 08:51 AM | | l digg this
