Weapons dealers in Yemen are using social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to openly sell a variety of deadly weapons, including Kalashnikovs, pistols, grenades, and grenade-launchers. The traders, operating in areas controlled by the Houthi rebel group, are believed to be backed by Iran and are considered terrorists by the US and Australian governments.
Former British Ambassador to Yemen, Edmund Fitton-Brown, who now works for the Counter Extremism Project, expressed concern over the weapons dealers’ operations, suggesting they are likely working on behalf of the Houthis. The Times newspaper conducted an investigation and found that several Yemeni accounts selling weapons were verified with a blue tick.
Despite efforts by media outlets like The Times and the BBC to reach out to X for comment, no response has been received. It was noted that most of the platform’s content moderators were laid off after Elon Musk acquired the company in 2022.
The advertisements for weapons on X are primarily in Arabic and target Yemeni customers, a country where the number of guns reportedly exceeds the population by three to one. The BBC discovered multiple online listings offering weapons at prices in Yemeni and Saudi riyals, with enticing descriptions like “premium craftsmanship and top-notch warranty” to attract buyers.
Tech Against Terrorism, a UK-based NGO, issued a plea for tech platforms to actively remove Houthi-supporting content on the internet and social media platforms. The Houthi rebels, who seized power in Yemen in 2014, have been engaged in a seven-year conflict with a Saudi-led military campaign, resulting in a devastating civil war.
In recent developments, the Houthi rebels have been targeting commercial and naval shipping in the Red Sea, using drones and missiles supplied by Iran. Despite efforts by a US-led maritime force to stop these attacks, the impact on trade passing through the Suez Canal has been significant. The reasons behind these attacks, purportedly in support of Palestinians in Gaza, have raised concerns about the escalation of violence in the region.
