UK Exported 500 Cluster Bombs to Saudi Arabia in 1980s, Admits MoD
January 11 | Yamanyoon
Britain exported hundreds of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia in the late 1980s, official figures show.
The defence secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, said 500 cluster munitions were delivered to Saudi Arabia from the UK between 1986 and 1989.
This is the first time the Ministry of Defence has said how many of the devices were exported to Saudi Arabia since it emerged last month that a “limited number” had been used by Saudi-led forces in the current war in Yemen.
The UK has faced accusations of war crimes and calls to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia over the use of the weapons, which were banned in 2010 under an international treaty signed by Britain.
Last month, Fallon said he was satisfied that use of the bombs had not breached international law, and he had asked the Saudis to destroy their remaining stock of UK-supplied cluster munitions. He was unable to tell the Commons how many had been exported in the first place.
However, in a letter to the Conservative MP Philip Hollobone, Fallon confirmed: “The UK delivered 500 BL755 cluster munitions under a government-to-government agreement signed in 1986. The final delivery was made in 1989.”
