Saudis transferring US weapons to Qaeda in Yemen, report reveals

Saudi Arabia is “transferring” American weapons to al-Qaeda terrorists and Salafi militias in Yemen, a report reveals.

News ID: 443338

Date: 06 February 2019 - 10:35

RNA - Saudi and its main accomplice in the war on Yemen, the UAE, “have used the US-manufactured weapons as a form of currency to buy the loyalties of militias or tribes, bolster chosen armed actors, and influence the complex political landscape,” CNN said in a report Monday, citing local commanders on the ground and analysts.

The report added that Houthi Ansarullah fighters have also managed to gain access to the weapons “exposing some of America's sensitive military technology to Tehran.”

During his maiden state visit, US President Donald Trump went to Saudi Arabia where he signed a massive $110 billion arms deal with the oil-rich kingdom.

According to the Department of Defense, the monarchy is breaking the terms of its arms deal with Washington.

The Monday report further suggested that Trump “has lost control over” the royal family, questioning whether it is “responsible enough to be allowed to continue buying the sophisticated arms and fighting hardware.”

Saudi Arabia has been pounding Yemen for over two years and killing thousands of civilians there, while receiving full logistic and intelligence support from America.

Trump has thrown his support behind the monarchy and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who reportedly ordered the assassination of former Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Turkey.

The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country’s infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN has already said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years.

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