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U.S. Navy Seizes Arms Shipment In Arabian Sea

May 09, 2021

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.

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

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/31246294.html

Copyright (c) 2021. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.