More than 30% of the weapons of the militants produced in the EU – media

More than 30% of the weapons used by the militants of the Islamic state in Syria and Iraq, was made in the European Union. This is stated in the publication of the journal “Research arms”, according to DW.

In the investigation described in 200 pages, it is argued that these weapons came from factories in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Germany. More than half of the weapons of the fighters made Russia and China.

The study is the result of three years of field work in Iraq and Syria in the period between 2014 and 2017. Analyzed more than 40 000 items, including weapons, ammunition and components used to manufacture explosive devices.

The report indicates that most of the weapons the militants have received during the looting of the Iraqi and Syrian armies. But in many cases, the arms purchased from Eastern European States, Saudi Arabia and the United States, and then supply the Syrian opposition forces, has also been found in the hands of ISIS.

“Many of these transfers violated the terms of sales and exports, agreed between exporters of weapons, especially member States of the EU and the recipient in Saudi Arabia and the United States,” say the researchers.

The publication to cite as an example a case where the anti-tank guided weapons, produced in the EU was sold to the United States, and then transferred to the opposition parties involved in the Syrian conflict, and later the weapon was in the hands of the forces of the Islamic state in Iraq – all within two months after the shipment of arms from the factory.

According to the study, the parties involved in these transfers of weapons, often deliberately tried to conceal his origin, changing the packaging or filling and removing the factory markings.

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