World Bulletin/News Desk

With frequent incidents and conflict that take place in Yemen which has a population of 25 million, there are close to 60 million guns in the hands of civilians. According to official government statistics, in recent times with the amount of conflict the limit seems to be far more than the 60 million. In the country where there are groups competing for power, despite the economic crisis there is an increase in arm sales and that prices for weapons have come to a ceiling amount.

Academic Nebil es-Sercebi from the Sociology department of Al-Hudayda University, in reference to the widespread availability of guns tied with the vulnerable security situation, said "After the revolution the lack of authority of the government opened the path to the smuggling of guns and an increase gun trade. With raids on military bases resulting in the theft of guns that were considered to be booty, this also led to the increase of prices".

The Outcome of the Civil war will be horrific

Sercebi who said that recent conflict had resulted in an increase of gun sales said, "Yemeni people have a culture of carrying guns. The groups that have guns raid the winter homes and arm those who are impartial to the war and selling the remainder thereby increasing the guns resulting in two guns for every person. This has now become business, and there are those who consider this to be the their main source of income".

Sercebi also stated that in regard to the trade that has surpassed light weaponry, "Yemeni's even possess tanks. Previously gun groups and organizations didn't have possession of heavy weapons and armored vehicles and now this can very likely lead to an unpleasant outcome in the case of a civil war".Culhane is one of the main markets for the sale of guns and he said that weapons were sale openly.

Guns being sold like fruit and vegetables

Sellers in this market explain that being able to purchase guns easily and that tribal agreements were a dominant form of trade in towns like Sa'da where guns are sold openly and freely but there were other towns where sales were sold more underhandedly. Arms dealer Abdusselam el-Mecidi said that Yemeni's had a lot of demand for guns and rifles and traditionally carried guns on their belts. Giving information regarding prices Mecidi also said that American made Glock guns were very popular and prices started from $3200. Another gun that was popular was the Russian made Makarov PM, which had a starting price of $700. Gun sales are pushing beyond borders. They are selling guns at the Harad border into Saudi Arabia.

One of the arms dealers at Harrad, Said Atiyye explained that there was an obvious increase in gun sales with many being sold across the border, saying that "guns are being sold as if they are knives. Guns are hidden amongst the knives and smuggled across the border. In each shipment there are 15 guns that are smuggled across". In the Yemeni constitution there is nothing that stops anyone from possessing a weapon. Article 9 of the Constitution states that "Yemeni citizens are entitled to possess guns for personal use and for self defense".