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German arms supplies to UAE triggers controversy

Xinhua, April 15, 2017 Adjust font size:

German government has supplied more arms and munitions to some countries involved in Yemen conflict despite dissent from opposition parties, local media Deutsche Welle reported on Saturday.

Berlin has approved a sale to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of 203,448 detonators for 40-mm shells produced by Junghans Microtex, and 134 million dollars worth of armor-plating for military vehicles by Dynamit Nobel Defence.

The sale, ratified last week, immediately triggered controversy among the opposition parties, as they worried that it might deteriorate the humanitarian situation in the war-torn Yemen, and violate the guidelines of German arms export.

The UAE is taking part in the Saudi-led military coalition against Yemeni Houthi militants since March 2015. The two-year conflict has already claimed over 10,000 lives and heavily damaged the country's facilities and infrastructure, according to a UN report.

German opposition Green Party spokeswoman Agnieszka Brugger said the government is delivering "military equipment to a war participant." Endit