YEMEN SEIZES OVER 12,000 WEAPONS IN MAY

SANA’A, June 03 (Saba)- Yemen’s security services seized in May 12135 weapons within the framework of crackdown to prevent the carrying of weapons in the main cities of Yemen.

In a press release, Interior Ministry said on Thursday that the security campaign aims to boost the ban of carrying weapons in public and reduce crimes in several areas of the country.

The Ministry went on to say that the campaign had contributed to the reduction of criminal incidents by more than 20 per cent and played an important role in strengthening the security and stability of the country.

Yemen had circulated a blacklist of arms dealers, warning against trading in weapons and dealing with arms dealers.

In March, more than 13,600 firearms were seized by police in the county.

In recent years, the authorities said thousands of people disarmed willingly and other thousands by the authorities as they launched anti-public weapon carrying drive.

Unofficial statistics show that there are over 60 million firearms in Yemen, which means that on average there are three firearms for every Yemeni citizen.

The authorities have began a campaign to hunt down the most prominent arms dealers operating in the country, and they have so far arrested 4 arms dealers included on this blacklist of 20 names.

Approximately two years ago, the Yemeni authorities launched a large scale operation to shut down weapons markets, and they have been successful in shutting down the largest and best known arms markets throughout the country.

YA