The Balkan research network reports that a huge number of aircraft with ammunition and unknown military items for the Middle East passed through the airport “Rijeka” in Croatia. The results of the investigation are broadcasted today by the Serbian media.
According to the network, the “Rijeka” airport on the island of Krk was the key to sending weapons to the US Army in the Middle East countries, as well as to the Syrian rebels. Since April, through it passed at least 14 aircraft, full of weapons and military ammunition, journalists say. The aircraft had specific “CBM” marks confirming the Pentagon’s ownership. The last flight was recorded on September 25. It is noted that 10 flights ended in Qatar at the military base of Al-Udeid.
It is also noted that these flights had commercial signs, which indicates that military items have been taken from Croatia. Journalists argue that it is about the weapons of the countries of the “former Soviet bloc”, which is now being sent to the Middle East.
At the same time, the airport refused to answer the question what kind of cargo these planes were carrying.
The Balkan research network suggests that an increase in the number of such flights is connected with the decision of the Pentagon to change the route of arms shipments to Syria: earlier it was going through Germany. Qatar, the authors of the investigation note, is also not the official center of the Pentagon’s program for arming the forces that fight against ISIS, but it is used as a base for US air operations in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The flight registrar also shows how Pentagon aircraft regularly transport military items between Kuwait and Qatar.
Also in June and July, four Silk Waya flights from Azerbaijan were recorded, and the published documents show that these aircraft from Azerbaijan to Croatia delivered weapons of the Soviet type, ordered by a special subdivision of the Pentagon of SOCOM. This unit is engaged in the purchase of weapons for units fighting against ISIS, as well as for other important US allies. And the same unit, the authors of the investigation write, is a key actor in supplying the Syrian rebels with the weapons of the former Eastern bloc. At the moment, the figure is two billion dollars.
The e-mails referenced by the Network’s journalists show that in December 2016 the Pentagon stopped delivering weapons to US military bases in Germany, because Berlin “became sensitive to deliveries of this kind.” Thus the Pentagon does not comment, whether Germany used to supply military items to Syria.
At the same time, in the US database on allied costs, a document has been found that shows that the Pentagon has made significant use of bases in Germany, as well as the fact that the weapons that passed through Croatia were transported to Syria.
The network also refers to a document that shows that last September the Pentagon ordered in Bulgaria weapons for Iraq and Syria worth $ 16 million.
Asked why Croatia had accepted the proposal on cooperation in the part of the Middle East that Germany had previously refused, in Zagreb it was said that Croatia was not the first time to show itself as a useful partner in American efforts in Syria.