Germany extends ban on arms export to Saudi Arabia

Germany's freeze on arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia will continue to remain in place till March 2020.

Germany's freeze on arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia will continue to remain in place till March 2020. The announcement was made by a spokesperson for the German government on Wednesday (local time).

The freeze began last October and was formalised in March. DW quoted German Chancellor Angela Merkel as saying that she saw "no conditions, at the moment, for a changed stance" on the German government's side.

The ban was imposed after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The freeze has been questioned within Merkel's own party following a drone strike on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack. Saudi Arabia and UAE are fighting the Houthi rebels backed by Iran in Yemen. Tensions in the Middle East have heightened with fingers being pointed at Iran over the attack. Iran, on its part, has denied such allegations. (ANI)

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