UK Insurer Stops Cover on Arms Ship Going to Syria

A British company says it has cancelled insurance for a Russian ship carrying munitions to Syria.

The U.K.-based Standard Club said in a statement Tuesday that it had been made aware that a Russian ship, Alaed, was carrying munitions destined for Syria, in clear breach of their rules.

It added: “We consequently informed the ship owner that their insurance cover ceased automatically in view of the nature of the voyage.”

Britain’s Foreign Office confirmed that it was aware that a ship carrying a consignment of refurbished Russian-made attack helicopters is heading to Syria. It said Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague had told Russia’s Foreign Minister that all defense shipments to Syria must stop.