A Turkish-based maritime company in April 2021 delivered military trucks to Somalia without informing the UN about compliance with sanctions requirements, which prompted UN investigators to launch a probe into the shipment.
According to the intelligence obtained by UN experts working for compliance with the arms embargo on Somalia, İstanbullines Lojistik ve Denizcilik Limited Şirketi offloaded 44 “Kamaz” military-type trucks at the port of Mogadishu on April 30, 2021. The freighter that transported trucks to Somalia departed Turkey on April 15, 2021 and sailed via the Suez Canal to anchorage in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before docking in Mogadishu.
The UN Panel of Experts on Somalia, authorized by the UN Security Council to oversee compliance with the UN arms embargo on Somalia, said no notification was received from the company or the Turkish government about the shipment. The panel sent an official letter to İstanbullines on June 8, 2021 asking for information about the delivery in order to determine whether it was in compliance with UN arms embargo requirements.
A review of İstanbullines’ trade registry records by Nordic Monitor shows that the company was established on March 23, 2018 by Najjar Oussama, listed as a Lebanese national. Two companies, investment firm Nesmal Yatırım Holding and aviation company Onur Havacılık Ticaret Anonim Şirketi, were listed as shareholders in İstanbullines. Oussama is involved in Nesmal and serves as chairman of the board, meaning he calls the shots at İstanbullines, where he has a controlling stake directly and by means of other companies.
Source Nordic Monitor