The traders operate in the capital Sana’a and other areas under control of the Houthis.

Weapons dealers in Yemen are openly using the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to sell Kalashnikovs, pistols, grenades and grenade-launchers.

The traders operate in the capital Sana’a and other areas under control of the Houthis, a rebel group backed by Iran and proscribed as terrorists by the US and Australian governments.

The advertisements are mostly in Arabic and aimed primarily at Yemeni customers in a country where the number of guns is often said to outnumber the population by three to one.

The BBC has found several examples online, offering weapons at prices in both Yemeni and Saudi riyals.

The words beside the weapons are designed to lure in the buyers.

“Premium craftsmanship and top-notch warranty,” says one advertisement. “The Yemeni-modified AK is your best choice.”

A demonstration video, filmed at night, shows the seller blasting off a 30-round magazine on full automatic.

Another offers sand-coloured Pakistani-produced Glock pistols for around $900 each.

    • circuscriticEnglish
      8•4 months ago

      No, we’re acknowledging that countries wrecked by civil war and intermittent famines going back a decade, aren’t known for their ability to police domestic issues fairly, on time, or even at all. I’d be more interested to know what percent of the households are NOT armed.

      For the record, I said nothing about any government, or political groups/militias. They’re armed primarily by their proxy sponsor, I’m talking about retail arms sale to civilians, bandits, normies, and scared parents alike.

      Unless you think IRCG is arming the Houthis via Twitter.

      • sp3ctr4lEnglish
        1•4 months ago

        You are also aware that the Houthis have been and still are indiscriminately targeting civilian cargo ships of any nationality, yes?

        Its not like all of these ships are going to or from Israel, or registered as Israeli or US vessels.

        Its actually quite an oddity to see NATO, Indian Navy and PLAN vessels all doing anti-piracy missions in the same place and time.

        • circuscriticEnglish
          2•4 months ago

          I’m going to need you to actually quote which part of my comment you’re responding to.

          As far as I can tell, what you wrote has exactly nothing to do with anything that I said.

      • @[email protected]English
        -2•4 months ago

        “Avinatan, my boyfriend, is still there, and we need to bring them back before it’s going to be too late. We don’t want to lose more people than we already lost,” Argamani said.

        False. You mentioned the Saudi government, the UK government, and the US government. You just neglected to mention the Houthis who are engaged in attacking civilians in international waters. Which is the reason for the air strikes by the US/UK which you’re denouncing.

        The people in Yemen are humans, not animals. As humans they are responsible for their actions. Cut out this white man’s burden nonsense. That narrative is older than all of us.

        • circuscriticEnglish
          6•4 months ago

          I didn’t denounce anyone, even among the groups and actors I mentioned. I simply gave a very brief look at situation. You’re mad that I didn’t provide a complete and detailed analysis, which is irrelevant to my point about civilians bearing arms.

          Not for nothing, but your politics are pretty clear, and if it was relevant at ALL to this subject, I’d happily engage. But it’s not, so stop yelling into the wind to distract from the fact that your comments are clearly about your disdain of the Yemini people.

          • @[email protected]English
            -4•4 months ago

            I feel sympathy the Yemenis having to live under brutal regimes. Especially for homosexual Yemenis who are literally crucified.

            I think it’s you that has no sympathy for Yemnis. You see Houthis hating the US and Israel and like that enough to look the other way about how horrible they are to the people of Yemen.

            • circuscriticEnglish
              2•4 months ago

              I can’t tell if you’re a troll, or actually insane. But I guess those don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

                • circuscriticEnglish
                  4•4 months ago

                  I’m having a hard time finding where I said that I wanted to live under Houthi rule, or when I denied their status as militant Islamists.

                  Can you please scroll up to my other comments and point those out for me? Thanks in advance.

                  Oh, and just a reminder to anyone who actually made it this far into this idiotic rabbit hole, my original comment was that it is entirely unsurprising that Yemeni civilians are buying arms to wherever they can, be it Twitter or a local marketplace, due to the past decade of conflict, years long aerial bombing campaign, and famine.

                  • @[email protected]English
                    -2•4 months ago

                    You commented on air strikes but omitted the reason for the air strikes. I’ve corrected your omission.

                    Also from the article:

                    “It is inconceivable that they [the weapons dealers] are not operating on the Houthis’ behalf,” said the former British Ambassador to Yemen, Edmund Fitton-Brown, who now works for the Counter Extremism Project.

                    Do you have any evidence to back up your claims that it’s Yemeni civilians that are buying the weapons to protect themselves from the Houthis? The ambassador indicates the Houthis would shut down such activity.

                    What actual evidence do you have to support your claims?