Yemen's Houthi arms dealers are cashing in on conflict
Yemen’s eight-year conflict, as well as recent escalations, have increased demand for firearms. Trying to capitalize on this, arms dealers have started moving their shops from the outskirts of the city to city centers over the past five years.
A civil war erupted in Yemen in late 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa. Worried by the growing influence of Shi'ite Iran along its border, Saudi Arabia intervened at the head of a Western-backed coalition in March 2015 in support of the Saudi-backed government.
The conflict has led to the fragmentation of power and the emergence of multiple armed factions, each with its own agenda. This has created an environment where acquiring firearms has become easier through open weapons markets in cities.
According to 2017 Small Arms Survey there are roughly 15 million civilian-held firearms in Yemen or 62 per 100 population, making Yemen the second most armed country in the world after the United States.
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