[Published: Wednesday September 05 2018]
Spain halts missile sale to Saudi Arabia over Yemen
MADRID 5 Sep (ANA) - Spain has put the brakes on a sale of hundreds of missiles to Saudi Arabia amid concerns about their use against civilians in the war in Yemen.
The defence ministry has launched a process to cancel the contract between Spain and Saudi Arabia signed in 2015 for 400 laser-guided munitions and will pay back the $10m already paid for the weapons, broadcaster Cadena Ser reported on Tuesday.
"We confirm the news," an unnamed spokeswoman at the defence ministry said, declining to give any additional details.
The ministry said last month it had never sold arms that could be used against a civilian population and condemned the killing of non-combatants in Yemen.
The Saudi embassy in Madrid did not immediately respond to emailed questions and follow-up calls by The Associated Press.
Human rights groups have denounced Western arms sales to Saudi Arabia and its allies in a war the United Nations says has killed more than 10,000 people and left 8.4 million on the brink of famine.(ANA)
FA/ANA/5 September 2018--------
|