SOMALIA: Somalia-bound ship loaded with weapons intercepted

The Australian navy says it has seized a huge cache of weapons on a fishing boat that was apparently heading for Somalia. 

Grenade launchers, machine guns and nearly 2,000 assault rifles concealed under fishing nets were found by one of its warships, it added.

It's not clear who was transporting the weapons or the final destination of the boat. 

The Australian warship is part of an international naval force which is enforcing UN sanctions - these authorise the interception of weapons heading for Somalia. 

Despite the ban, the UN allows the Somali government to buy light weapons for its fight against militant Islamist group al-Shabab. 

BBC Africa