UK to resume selling arms and military equipment to Saudi Arabia despite criticism

United Kingdom’s Trade Secretary Liz Truss in a statement has revealed that the UK will once again sell arms to Saudi Arabia after an official review is concluded. According to reports, this revelation comes just over a year after the court of appeal had ruled that UK’s sale of arms to Saudi Arabia was unlawful because the risk to civilian lives had not been properly assessed.

UK licenced weapons only used in 'isolated incidents'

As per reports, Liz Truss in her statement claimed that an official review had found that the UK provided weapons had only been used in ‘isolated incidents’ in airstrikes in Yemen. After the government's defeat at the courts last year, the UK government had agreed not to grant any new licences for the export of arms and military equipment to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen.

But Truss claims that the conclusion of the review indicates that the previous commitment made by the UK government is null and void and the government will immediately begin to clear the backlog of weapon licenses that had been building up since June last year.

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The decision by the government to resume the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia has been heavily critisised by Arms Trade Campaigners who have claimed that the government decision is ‘disgraceful and morally bankrupt’. Arms Trade Campaigners have also stated that they will be looking for legal avenues to challenge the government’s decision.

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As per reports, in a statement to MPs Truss has claimed an analysis by the government has not revealed any pattern or trends in which British-licensed equipment that may have breached humanitarian law, the conclusion was that the incidents that occurred were isolated incidents, therefore justifying the government resuming its arms trade with Saudi Arabia.