The sale of guns in Yemen continues despite government efforts to close down weapons markets. There are an estimated 60 million guns in the country, which has a population of 21 million. It is traditional for Yemenis to keep a gun at home.
Everything from pistols and rifles to rocket-propelled grenades can be found at the Sanaa arms market. The most popular weapon is the “Russian Ali”. Most of the arms come from Russia and China, according to gun shop owners.
There are no records of who is buying weapons in Yemen as no license is required to own one. Guns are part of the tribal culture and are commonly used to resolve disputes, often causing injury and death. Statistics show that more than 23,000 people were injured or killed by guns between 2004 and 2006 in Yemen.
This video short looks at the effect guns are having on the local population as well as the deaths and injuries caused by them.
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If a video player does not appear above, go to: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=76669
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
