Canada probes possible Saudi use of ‘Gurkha’ armoured vehicles in crackdown against civilians
Controversial $13 billion US contract to supply Riyadh with light armoured vehicles was struck by the previous Conservative government
Canada warned it was reviewing reports that Saudi Arabia is using Canadian armoured vehicles in a crackdown in the Sunni-ruled kingdom’s Shiite-majority east.
“We are looking at these claims very seriously... and have immediately launched a review,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking in French, said in during a visit in central Canada.
The Globe and Mail reported earlier that light armoured vehicles sold by Canada to Saudi Arabia had been used against Shia civilians in a major operation that left several people in the town of Awamiya in Eastern Province.
Experts told the newspaper that vehicles appearing in photos and videos of the Saudi operations were Gurkha RPVs produced by Terradyne Armoured Vehicles near Toronto.
Earlier, a spokesman indicated that Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland was “deeply concerned about this situation and has asked officials to review it immediately.”
“If it is found that Canadian exports have been used to commit serious violations of human rights, the minister will take action,” added spokesman John Babcock.
