Wednesday , 8 May 2024

U.S. Navy Seizes Large Arms Shipment In Arabian Sea

RFL/RE – The U.S. Navy said it has seized an arms shipment hidden aboard a vessel in the Arabian Sea.

The U.S. Navy has previously seized weapons in the Arabian Sea believed to be from Iran and intended for Huthi rebels in Yemen.

In a statement on May 9, the U.S. Navy said the source and intended destination of the weapons was under investigation.

“The cache of weapons included dozens of advanced Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles, thousands of Chinese Type 56 assault rifles, and hundreds of PKM machine guns, sniper rifles, and rocket-propelled grenades launchers,” the statement added.

The dhow sailing vessel is shown as it is intercepted in the Arabian Sea.
The dhow sailing vessel is shown as it is intercepted in the Arabian Sea.

It said the weapons were seized aboard a stateless dhow sailing vessel during a maritime interdiction operation on May 6-7.

Yemen is overflowing with small arms that have been smuggled into poorly controlled ports since the country was plunged into a grinding civil war in 2015.

The conflict pits the Iranian-backed Huthis, who control the capital Sana’a and much of the north and west, against the Saudi-backed government and southern secessionists, which are also locked in competition for power.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP
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