"North Korea's Military Partners in the Horn of Africa" Topic

"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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Amicalement
Armand

North Korea has a long history of supporting Marxism all over the world. Well, basically anyone that opposes the US (like Iran*) and that can take some of the American heat off them.

Dan
* link

I think this has less to do with ideology and supporting anti-western political movements ("exporting communism") than simple profiteering.

The norks have been hit hard by sanctions and are isolated, so they're doing business and selling arms wherever they can get away with it. They're really not very choosy whom they deal with.

This is an old habit. Not a new development.

Dan
PS. I wonder … what is NK getting from Somalia in exchange for those weapons? Sand?

It seems to some extent that NK is pretty much your only source of spares and ammo for 60's / 70's era WARPAC kit and its Chinese derivatives, which Africa is awash with. And yes they are desperate for hard currency…

Those ransom payments for captured merchant crews sure ain't going to Somali pirates, are they?

I dunno. I don't see it.

Besides I don't think that the loose confederation of Somali pirates is capturing that many tankers and getting that much these days. And, even if they were, they wouldn't be spending it all on weapons they already have.

As happens in so many cases, what was intercepted must be just the tip of the iceberg. I think the NK weapon shipments are meant for something else.

Dan

The guns and equipment may not even be meant for Somalia and they (the Somalis) may just be the middlemen for reselling them to other groups. Child soldiers and Islamic rebels are plentiful and have short life spans so they don't need expensive equipment that will last.