Puntland Seizes Yemeni Boats Carrying Illegal Weapons

Somali forces in Somalia’s northeastern regional state have seized several vessels suspected to have been transporting weapons into the country.

The Puntland State of Somalia has confirmed that they have seized Yemeni boats smuggling weapons into the country in an operation carried out along the Elayo coast in the region.

The Officials further noted the operations will continue into the next few days in those areas. According to anonymous sources, for the past three decades, Somalia has enforced an arms embargo aimed at curbing any illegal weapons making their way into Somalia.

In January 1992, the Security Council introduced an open-ended arms embargo on Somalia over the ongoing conflict and deteriorating humanitarian situation.

In February 2007, the council limited the embargo to non-state actors, allowing arms supplies to Somali government forces.

Last year, the council again renewed the partial lifting of the arms embargo on Somalia for a year, this will come to end next month.

The council also banned chemicals used for making improvised explosive devices in order to minimise the threat by al-Shabaab bomb-making sections.