Arms dealers in Yemen’s interim capital Aden completed a number of sales of looted government weapons in recent days, brokers involved in the deals told Almasdar Online.

Gunmen belonging to security Aden-based forces aligned with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) sold light and medium weapons, including machine guns, mortars, rockets and DShK gun bases to buyers from Al-Dhale, Abyan and Lahj governorates, according to an arms dealer in the Sheikh Othman District in Aden. 

The weapons were looted from government camps in Aden in August, when STC forces ejected troops loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi from the interim capital, he said. Saudi forces arrived to Aden last month to enforce a power-sharing deal, known as the Riyadh agreement, that halted the fighting and seeks to incorporate the STC into the Yemeni government. 

Some of the weapons sold in recent days went to military commanders in the internationally recognized government, while others went to leaders of STC-aligned forces, the arms dealer said. But a large portion of the weapons were sold to armed men whose political identities were unknown, he added.

The weapons came from various army bases, including the 39th Armored Brigade in Badr Camp and the Third Presidential Protection Brigade in Aden’s Khormaksar District. Some of the weapons were transferred from the Fourth Presidential Protection Brigade in Dar Sa’d District and sold through local intermediaries, he said.

The arms sales were carried out with the knowledge of STC leaders, the arms dealer said.