NK and the Horn

Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia maintain covert military ties with Pyongyang, despite UN sanctions.

North Korea’s Military Partners in the Horn of Africa

By Samuel Ramani

On November 14, 2017, a UN report revealed that a French frigate ship had captured North Korean machine guns bound for Somalia in 2016. These North Korean guns were being transported to Somalia via an unmarked Iranian dhow and were possibly a portion of a larger arms cache destined for the war-torn country.

Even though countries across the continent have been linked to illicit North Korean arms deals, the Horn of Africa is a particularly egregious violator of UN sanctions against Pyongyang. In recent months, Eritrea has faced tightened U.S. sanctions for its alleged weapons deals with North Korea, and Ethiopia has faced criticism for its lingering military ties with the Kim regime.

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Source: thediplomat.com