Saudi Arabia and Arab allies armed Al-Qaeda in Yemen: CNN

According to CNN’s exclusive report, Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners allegedly gave militants linked to al-Qaeda terrorist group, Salafi militias and other factions in Yemen weapons that were manufactured by the United States, in breach of its arms agreements with Washington.

An investigation, carried out by CNN, has found that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had allegedly used weapons provided to them by the United States as currency to buy off militias and factions in the Yemeni conflict.

By handing US-made weapons over to third parties, the Saudi-led coalition is violating the terms of its arms sales with the United States, CNN claimed. A Defense Department official has confirmed to the broadcaster that Washington is investigating the issue.

Saudi Arabian and US authorities have yet to comment on the media report.

The channel has previously reported, citing documents provided by the Yemen-based human rights group Mwatana, that fragments of US-made bombs had been discovered at the sites of attacks in Yemen.

In December, the US Senate passed a resolution calling for an end to the US military support to the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemeni conflict.

Yemen has been locked in a conflict between the government forces led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and the Houthi rebels. A Saudi-led coalition has been conducting strikes against the Houthis at Hadi’s request since March 2015.

Source: AMN