Facts emerging from the global statistics on recorded arms deal between nations, indicates that Saudi Arabia has led other nations in the world on the purchase of war weapons for 5 years consecutively.
For a nation known for its great connection to one of the most revered religion that commands great followership round the world for its inclination to peace, it seems a bit out of place that Saudi Arabia renowned for its sacred places pivotal to the practice of Islam should be in the lead of military purchase world over.
Middle East Conflicts.
The ongoing wars in the middle east nations of Yemen, Syria, and also Libya has got the power house nations in the zone upgrading their military prowess via acquisition of weapons and Saudi Arabia’s major role in the civil unrest in Yemen is one of the paramount reasons why they are stocking up.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly leading in the importation of weapons with twelve per cent, India with 9.2 per cent and Egypt with 5.8 per cent. The country bought 130 per cent more weapons than during the previous five-year period and contributed to twelve per cent of global imports.
War Tank
Yemen War
Even though there have been widespread concerns over Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen, the US and the UK continued to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia. In fact, 73 per cent of all weapons there come from the US and the UK.
The United Arab Emirates, similarly involved in the war in Yemen, but also in Libya, was the eighth largest importer of arms in the last five years – two-thirds of those weapons came from the US.
Since Yemen’s civil war started in 2015, Saudi Arabia and eight other Arab states have carried out air campaign in support of forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.
The UN says that as of last November, at least 5,295 civilians had been killed and 8,873 wounded, although the actual figures are likely to be much higher.
The bitter conflict in Yemen has brought the ethical issues of international arms sales into sharp relief in many western countries, which have seen Saudi Arabia and its allies use their advanced weapons systems in the country.
