Two million dollars worth of weapons seized on en route to Al-Shabab Somalia

Ethiopian News, Tigrai Online, March 8, 2016

Weapons seized en route to Al-Shabab Somalia in East Africa

More than two million dollars worth cache of weapons was seized by an Australian navy ship. The weapons were going to be delivered to the Al-Shabab terrorist group in Somalia.

The more than 2,000 weapons included assault rifles, rocket launchers and machine guns. The Australian navy ship was on a routine patrol of the coast of East Africa and the Middle East when it intercepted the small boat carrying the illegal weapons. The weapons were hidden under fishing nets and the boat was disguised as a fishing boat Australian Navy officials said on Monday.

Sunday’s recovery of the weapons could signal a continual but clandestine attempt by the Shabaab to keep their supply of arms despite a global operation against the terror group.

 Australia’s Vice Admiral David Johnston who is also the Chief of Joint Operations for the multi-nation patrol operation said. “Australia worked as part of the multinational Combined Maritime Forces to discover and seize these illegal weapons. Darwin’s successful boarding and subsequent seizure of the weapons concealed under fishing nets highlights the need to remain vigilant in the region.”

List of weapons seized

• 1989 AK-47 assault rifles
• 100 rocket propelled grenade launchers (RPGs)
•  49 PKM general purpose long range heavy machine guns
• 39 PKM spare barrels
• 20 60mm mortar tubes (small size Cannons)

The fishing boat and the crew of 18 people were captured about 330km off the coast of Oman, traveling on their way to Somalia.

The origin of the weapons is not disclosed to the media for the time being, but we can safely assume it is the Eritrean mafia government paid by the Arabs most likely the Egyptians. The United Nations Security Council Monitoring Group for Somalia and Eritrea has proved beyond a shred of doubt that the Eritrean government is supporting the Al-shabab terrorist group with training and delivery of weapons.

Under the United Nations sanctions, patrolling ships can intercept vessels in the high seas suspected to be ferrying weapons to Somalia and Eritrea.

Media reports coming from Eritrea are indicating the Eritrean regime moving troops and military hardware to the borders with Ethiopia in anticipation of an imminent military action by the Ethiopian government for all the provocation the mafia leadership in Asmara.

It would be surprising if Shabiya was commissioned to deliver these weapons to the Al-Qeda affiliated terror group in Somalia for a fee. The shameful Eritrean government will do whatever to get a few million dollars.

Eritrea does not have any borders with Somalia in fact it is thousands of kilo meters away from Somalia. Eritrea’s involvement in Somalia is purely to destabilize Ethiopia through terrorist groups who are based in Somalia like ONLF and OLF.