Yemen: Arms dealers advertise machine guns, grenades on X

Arms dealers in Yemen are leveraging social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to openly advertise and sell an array of deadly weapons, including Kalashnikovs, pistols, grenades, and grenade launchers.

These activities are primarily based in Sana’a and other territories under the control of the Houthi rebels, a faction supported by Iran and designated as a terrorist organization by both the US and Australian governments.

“It is inconceivable that they [the weapons dealers] are not operating on the Houthis’ behalf,” remarked Edmund Fitton-Brown, the former British Ambassador to Yemen who now works with the Counter Extremism Project. “Purely private dealers who tried to profit from supplying, [for example] the government of Yemen, would be quickly shut down.”

An investigation by The Times has uncovered that several Yemeni accounts on X, some displaying the verified blue tick, are brazenly advertising weapons.

The revelations have prompted both The Times and BBC to seek comments from X, but as of yet, no response has been received. This lack of oversight is alarming, particularly in light of the significant reduction in the platform’s content moderation team following Elon Musk’s acquisition in 2022.

The advertisements, which are predominantly in Arabic, are aimed at Yemeni customers in a country where the ratio of firearms to people is an astonishing three to one. The BBC has identified numerous online examples with prices listed in both Yemeni and Saudi riyals. One advertisement boasts, “Premium craftsmanship and top-notch warranty. The Yemeni-modified AK is your best choice.”

A shocking demonstration video, captured at night, shows a seller firing a 30-round magazine on full automatic, underscoring the deadly efficiency of the weapons being marketed. Another advertisement offers sand-colored Pakistani-manufactured Glock pistols for approximately $900 each.

These revelations highlight a significant security threat, as the widespread availability of such weapons can exacerbate the ongoing conflict and instability in Yemen. The use of social media platforms for illegal arms sales is not only a regional issue but also a global concern, necessitating immediate attention and action from international authorities and tech companies alike.

The former British Ambassador to Yemen, Edmund Fitton-Brown’s assertion underscores the gravity of the situation: “It is inconceivable that they [the weapons dealers] are not operating on the Houthis’ behalf.”

His statement calls into question the extent of the Houthi rebels’ involvement and the potential complicity of social media platforms in facilitating such transactions.