Gun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Egypt,United States
Man Who Began Smuggling 1,000 Guns to Egypt Arrested in Florida
16 May 2012
Orlando Sentinel (Florida)
Federal authorities arrested a man in Orlando this week who allegedly told an undercover agent that he wanted to smuggle up to 1,000 firearms to Egypt.
Gamel Saad was arrested following a sting Monday. According to a criminal complaint, Saad bought three handguns from an undercover agent, wrapped them in towels, and put them inside a shipment of car parts he was sending to Egypt.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began investigating... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Orlando Sentinel (Florida)
36130
Belgium,Morocco
Morocco Breaks Up Terrorist Cell, Stops Related Gun Trafficking [Francais]
13 May 2012
Le Matin (Morocco)
[Translated summary: On Saturday, the chief of the national police brigade during the presentation of seized firearms, said to the press that the dismantling last saturday of a terrorist cell that was active in several cities of the Kingdom, directed by an influential member of the terrorist organisation called "movement of the moudjahidines in Morocco, led to the arrest of 15 people and the seizure of several firearms. He further indicated that these firearms had been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Matin (Morocco)
36129
Senegal,Tunisia,Latvia,France,Romania,Mali,Guinea,Ghana,Europe,Africa,Côte d'Ivoire,Belarus
Belarus FM Denies Reports of Illegal Arms Transfers to Côte d'Ivoire
20 April 2012
Telegraf (Belarus)
Spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Andrei Savinykh denied reports of arms shipments to Côte d'Ivoire in violation of the UN sanctions. "It's not even an accusation; it's a clumsy attempt of individual journalists to muddy the waters, as the proverb says," he said.
"The Belarusian side has been always cooperating openly with experts from the UN Security Council Committee on Côte d'Ivoire, whose reports these pseudo-journalists referred to. If they really... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Telegraf (Belarus)
36051
Sudan
Cattle Herders Avoiding Disarmament in South Sudan for Fear of Attacks
17 April 2012
Sudan Tribune (France)
JUBA — South Sudan's army (SPLA) says that some Murle cattle herders are avoiding handing over their weapons to the military as part of a statewide disarmament campaign in Jonglei following severe violence earlier this year.
The SPLA captain responsible for disarmament in the Anyidi area, Philip Bol Akuei, said that reports of Murle raiders were reaching his forces but poor roads and the distances involved means that they are not mobile enough to respond.
Some... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
36050
Ethiopia,South Africa,Burkina Faso,Sierra Leone,West Africa,Ukraine,Côte d'Ivoire,Eastern Europe,Russia,Central African Republic,Iraq,Afghanistan,United States,Colombia,Angola,Liberia,North Africa,West Asia,Africa
Shadowy 'Merchants of Death' Behind Africa's Illegal Gun-Running
11 April 2012
Think Africa Press (London)
Arms dealer Viktor Bout was sentenced to 25 years by a US federal court last week.
Widely known as the 'merchant of death', the 45-year-old Russian has delivered weapons and arms to a wide range of presidents, insurgents and rebels in Africa and the Middle East including the likes of Charles Taylor in Liberia and Jonas Savimbi in Angola. He was caught in a US sting in which his services were solicited for the supply of weapons to Colombia's FARC rebels.
His companies... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Think Africa Press (London)
36019
Qatar,East Africa,Russia,North Korea,China,West Asia,North Africa,Syria,Mali,Libya,Belgium,West Africa
Small Arms Manufactured in Belgium Proliferate in Libya, Mali [Francais]
11 April 2012
L'Express (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: Notwithstanding risks of proliferation, small arms manufactured in Belgium circulate in Libya, Mali, and maybe tomorrow in Syria? Belgium is the biggest european exporter of small arms: in 2010, 32% of european exports of small arms to Middle East and North Africa came from this country.]
Malgré les mises en garde à Bruxelles sur les risques de prolifération, les armes légères fabriquées en Belgique circulent de la Libye au Mali. Et demain,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: L'Express (France) / AFP
36014
West Asia,North Africa,South America,Africa,United States,Russia
Russian Arms Dealer Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison by US Judge
5 April 2012
New York Times / Reuters
NEW YORK - Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer caught in an undercover sting by U.S. agents posing as Colombian guerrillas seeking weapons, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday by a U.S. judge in New York.
Bout, who was the subject of a book titled "Merchant of Death," asserted his innocence during the sentencing, telling the judge through a Russian interpreter, "I never intended to kill anyone. I never intended to sell arms to anyone. God knows this... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times / Reuters
36000
Europe,East Africa,Ireland,Palestine,Africa,West Asia,North Africa,Syria,Libya,Belgium
Special Report on Belgian Arms Exports in Middle East and North Africa - Blog
5 April 2012
New York Times, Blog
The uprisings in Libya and Syria have cast the Belgian small arms industry as a case study of the difficult balances within a Western arms-manufacturing community that seeks exports to preserve revenue and local jobs, but risks compromising European policies and human rights values.
Belgium is one of Europe's busiest exporters of small arms and light weapons. As late as 2010, the last year for which publicly released data is available, 32 percent of the small-arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35992
Sudan
More Arms Flowing into Sudan, S. Sudan - Report from Small Arms Survey
4 April 2012
Voice of America
JUBA - A new report shows more weapons flowing into the hands of rebel militias in Sudan and South Sudan in the past year. The development threatens to increase tensions between two countries that have clashed repeatedly since the south declared independence last year.
The report published Friday by the Small Arms Survey, an organization monitoring the flow of weapons in the region, says funding is coming from both countries and putting more weapons in the hands of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Voice of America
35986
China,Sudan
Guns Used by South Sudanese Ethnic Militia Came from Army and Rebels
23 March 2012
Pretoria News (South Africa) / AFP
Guns and ammunition used by a South Sudanese ethnic militia that massacred a rival group earlier this year came from both the army and a rebel group, a report said on Thursday.
Beginning late December a marauding column of some 8 000 armed youths from the Lou Nuer people marched on the remote town of Pibor, home to the rival Murle, whom they blame for cattle raiding and have vowed to exterminate.
Analysis by the Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based research group,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Pretoria News (South Africa) / AFP
35946
Panama,Liberia,Oman,Yemen,Egypt,Saudi Arabia,Mauritius,Seychelles,Mongolia,Djibouti,Madagascar,United Arab Emirates,United Kingdom,Somalia,Kenya
Anti-piracy Security Firms Keep Guns in Floating Armouries to Avoid Law
22 March 2012
Associated Press
NAIROBI, Kenya — Private security firms are storing their guns aboard floating armories in international waters so ships that want armed anti-piracy guards for East Africa's pirate-infested waters can cut costs and circumvent laws limiting the import and export of weapons, industry officials say.
Companies and legal experts say the operation of the armories is a "legal gray area" because few, if any, governments have laws governing the practice. Some security... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
35956
Sudan,Syria,Russia,China,Papua New Guinea,Fiji,Oceania
Pacific Nations Push for Global Arms Trade Treaty to Curb Gun Trade
19 March 2012
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
Every year illicit trade in small arms results in thousands of deaths. Most of them in developing countries, including the Pacific, where the impact of gun violence has been devastating.
Now the international community is to meet at the United Nations to finalise the first ever global arms trade treaty.
HELEN HAKENA, WOMEN'S RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER: I was seven months pregnant when gunmen came into our village terrorising the entire village community. My house was burnt to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (Australia)
35944
Sudan
South Sudan Vice President Stressed the Importance of Firearm Safe Storage
19 March 2012
Government of South Sudan (Juba), Media release
JUBA — The Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan Hon. Dr. Riek Machar Teny has stressed the importance of safe storage of firearms and ammunition in the country if people are to minimise the dangers associated with poor storage of arms and ammunitions.
In his opening remarks at a one-day workshop on the management of arms and ammunitions at Home and Away Business Centre organised by the Bureau of Small Arms Control, Dr. Machar said that the workshop has come... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Government of South Sudan (Juba)
35924
Sudan
More than 2,000 Arms Collected in Jonglei Capital Bor, South Sudan
15 March 2012
Citizen (Juba)
JUBA — On the first day of disarmament exercise in Jonglei State, more than 2,000 arms have been reported collected only in state capital Bor, the SPLA spokesperson Colonel Philip Aguer Panyang reported yesterday.
"The disarmament started last Tuesday within Boma and Bor Town with over 2,000 arms collected only in Bor alone," Aguer mentioned.
He added that 3,000 SPLA soldiers have been stationed in Bor to participate in the operation of collecting guns from the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Citizen (Juba)
35912
Pakistan,Iran,Egypt,Russia,United States,Somalia,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
A 'Bulletproof' Arms Trade Treaty Could Slow the Global Flow of Guns
8 March 2012
MediaGlobal News (New York)
Every day, according to Amnesty International, thousands of people are killed, injured, raped, and forced to flee from their homes as a result of armed conflict, armed violence, and human rights violations and abuses perpetrated using conventional arms.
As violence continues unchecked around the world, a coalition of humanitarian and health organizations is rallying support for a "bulletproof" global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), to be discussed in July, that would stymie... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: MediaGlobal News (New York)
35894
Nepal,Myanmar,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh,Mauritius,Libya,Morocco,Saudi Arabia,Iran,Turkey,Thailand,Indonesia,Malaysia,France,China,United States,Pakistan
Pakistan Has Achieved Self Sufficiency in Small Arms and Ammunition
5 March 2012
Indian Defence Review
After partition, Pakistan did not inherit any military production facilities. In 1951, the Pakistan Ordnance Factory was established at Wah cantonment to produce small arms, ammunition and explosives. After 1965, Pakistan, apart from shifting its overwhelming arms supplies reliance from the US to China and other western countries like France; also began to concentrate on expanding its defence production facilities. In this, it received effusive assistance from... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Indian Defence Review
35895
Libya,Egypt
Gun Smuggling into Egypt from Libya Increases, 576 Weapons Seized
5 March 2012
Associated Press
CAIRO — The number of weapons smuggled into Egypt across the Libyan border is on the increase, with thousands of weapons flooding into the country, security officials said on Monday.
They said residents of southern Egypt, where extended families often accumulate large arsenals to protect property and settle feuds, are the main buyers.
The officials said 576 weapons including modern sniper rifles were seized by police in the last three months in the Egyptian oasis of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
35890
Sudan
South Sudan Army Ready to Conduct a Gun Amnesty Amongst Civilians
5 March 2012
Sudan Tribune (France)
JUBA — The South Sudan army, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) has announced its readiness to conduct the "peaceful" collection of illegal arms from the civil population across the country but primarily in Jonglei, Unity, Lakes and Warrap states; all of which have recently been subject to increased tribal conflict.
Majak D' Agoot, South Sudan's deputy defence minister, said the SPLA has the mandate to remove arms from the hands of the unauthorised civil... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35889
Philippines,Trinidad & Tobago,Zimbabwe,Zambia,Uganda,Tanzania,Senegal,Congo (DRC),Pakistan,Nigeria,Niger,Namibia,Morocco,Mauritania,Malawi,Madagascar,Côte d'Ivoire,Burkina Faso,Botswana,Egypt,Angola,Algeria,South Africa,Ghana,China,United States,Austria,Russia,Israel,Bahrain,Asia,Africa,Brazil
Brazil Arms Exports: Country Preaches Peace, Sells Tons of Arms
28 February 2012
Huffington Post (USA)
A small, scratched metal can thrown on the ground created Brazil's first diplomatic embarrassment of 2012. The canister of tear gas had been collected by pro-democracy activists in Bahrain. Stamped across the can in blue was a Brazilian flag and the words 'MADE IN BRAZIL.'
One year had passed since Bahrain became the stage for pro-democracy protests by the majority Shiites against the Sunni monarchy commanded by king Hamad bin-Isa Khalifa. The protesters had been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Huffington Post (USA)
35870
Tunisia
Illegal Arms Trade, Smuggling in Tunisia Shaken [Francais]
28 February 2012
Africa Time / La Presse
[Translated summary: Illegal arms trade in Tunisia coming to an end? Apparently yes. Indeed, past weeks have seen many gun smuggling rings dismantled by Tunisia law enforcement.]
Les coups de filet, de plus en fréquents ces jours-ci, ont mis à mal le trafic, jusqu'ici prospère, des armes. Mais gare au triomphalisme…
Le trafic des armes en Tunisie commence-t-il vraiment à s'essouffler ? Est-il en train de perdre du terrain? Et puis, question capitale, est-on... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Africa Time / La Presse
35866
Kenya,Sudan,Congo (DRC),Uganda
Uganda Government is Drafting a Bill to Tighten, Control, Limit Firearm Use
25 February 2012
Monitor (Kampala)
The government is drafting a bill to tighten, control and limit the use of firearms by security agencies and civilians across the country. The Firearms, Ammunition and Related Materials Bill seeks to harmonise all existing laws governing possession of guns, including the Firearms Act, 1970.
The 1970 Act only regulates ownership of firearms held by individuals, while those held by the police and security agencies are governed under separate laws. It is not known how... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Monitor (Kampala)
35862
Algeria,India,Iran,North Korea,China,Syria,Russia
Russia Faces a Growing International Outcry over Its Arms Sales to Syria
21 February 2012
Reuters
MOSCOW/BEIRUT - Russia faces a growing international outcry over its arms sales to Syria but shows no sign of bowing to pressure and has even increased deliveries of arms that critics say are helping keep President Bashar al-Assad in power.
The biggest importer of arms to Syria, Russia sold Damascus nearly $1 billion worth of arms including missile systems last year, while shipments of hard-to-track Russian small weapons have risen since the uprising against Assad... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35852
Germany,Chad,Yemen,Egypt,Libya,France,United Kingdom,United States,Sudan,Belarus,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Syria,Russia
Towards an International Control of Arms Trade, NGOs Concerned [Francais]
19 February 2012
Le Monde (France)
[Translated summary: As negotiations were launched this week in New York on the Arms Trade Treaty, Amnesty International, CCFD-Terre Solidaire and Oxfam France are concerned about the risk of a "Treaty at a discount ".]
La vente d'armes à un régime qui réprime sa population, comme le fait aujourd'hui la Russie à l'Etat syrien, sera-t-elle bientôt illégale ? C'est l'enjeu des négociations qui devraient aboutir, en juillet, à New York, à la signature d'un... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Monde (France)
35854
Egypt,Mexico,Iran,United States,Syria,Russia,China,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Collapse of UN Arms Trade Treaty Talks Narrowly Averted - Reuters
17 February 2012
Reuters
UNITED NATIONS - Negotiators on Friday narrowly averted the collapse of talks on a world arms trade treaty to regulate the $55 billion global weapons market, agreeing on ground rules for negotiations after days of procedural wrangling.
Delegates and advocates for tougher oversight of global arms sales said the agreement set the stage for a monthlong conference in July to draft the treaty.
Arms control campaigners say one person every minute dies as a result of armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35841
Sudan,China,Egypt,Bahrain,Libya,Germany,United Kingdom,Russia,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
At Last, the World Acts to Control Global Arms Trade, UN Talks Begin this Week
12 February 2012
Independent (Dublin)
The global arms trade, which produces two bullets for every person on the planet every year and the weapons that kill 1,500 people each day, is facing the first worldwide effort to control it. An unprecedented treaty that would attempt to restrict arms sales is expected to be drawn up at talks in the United Nations this week.
A campaign for such an agreement, begun six years ago by Nobel laureates, faces attempts by the United States and Russia to water the treaty... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Independent (Dublin)
35825
Sudan,China,Russia,Syria
Russia, China Provide Guns to Violate Human Rights in Darfur - Amnesty
9 February 2012
Reuters
LONDON - Russian and Chinese arms are being used to violate human rights in Darfur region in breach of an "ineffectual" United Nations embargo, Amnesty International said on Thursday.
Amnesty said Russia and China are supplying weapons to Sudan's government despite evidence they are being used against civilians in Darfur, where the U.N. estimates as many as 300,000 people have died since 2003 from violence, hunger or disease.
"China and Russia are selling arms to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35812
Algeria
Algeria: 293,000 Guns Seized in the 90s, Owners Want them Back [Francais]
30 January 2012
El Watan (Alger)
[Translated summary: Hundreds of owners of shotguns, which were confiscated in the early years of terrorism in Algeria, demand that their property be returned.]
Les propriétaires des fusils de chasse confisqués au début des années du terrorisme, en 1993 dans la wilaya de Bouira, sont revenus, hier, à la charge, en organisant un sit-in suivi d'une marche.
Plus de 400 personnes, dans la plupart des paysans, venues des quatre coins de la wilaya, se sont donné... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: El Watan (Alger)
35786
Madagascar,Guinea,Ghana,Botswana,Angola,Algeria,South Africa,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Russia,Austria,Israel,Germany,Italy,United States,Yemen,Philippines,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Tunisia,Brazil,Burkina Faso,Egypt,Côte d'Ivoire,Malawi,Mauritania,Morocco,Namibia,Niger,Nigeria,Congo (ROC),Senegal,Tanzania,Uganda,Zambia,Zimbabwe,Argentina,Ecuador,Chile,Honduras,Guatemala,United Arab Emirates,Trinidad & Tobago,Jordan,Dominican Republic,Singapore,Kazakhstan,Liberia,Saudi Arabia,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Congo (DRC),Guyana,Mauritius,Latvia,Oman,Nepal,Somalia,Bolivia,Colombia,Venezuela,Peru,Mexico,Qatar,Kuwait,Indonesia,Malaysia,Thailand
Brazilian Gun Industry Seeks New Markets: Africa and Asia [Portugues]
27 January 2012
Publica (Brazil)
[Translated summary: With the support of the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, Brazilian gun manufacturers seek new markets in countries with a history of human rights violations: Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines and Yemen. Brazil is among the six countries in the world with annual exports exceeding $ 100 million, according to recent research from Small Arms Survey. According to the Army, responsible for supervising and controlling exports from 2005 to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Publica (Brazil)
35794
Sudan
South Sudan Disarmament Condemned by Civilians, Resulted in Insecurity
21 January 2012
Sudan Tribune (France), Opinion
It is extremely appalling to continually see the killing going on unabated in Duk Padiet for two consecutive weeks. The media puts death toll at 89. All these deaths are due to orchestrated violence by human action. It seems there is no immediate government gangbuster amelioration in sight for the people of Dukein who have been rendered defenceless through the disarmament process that took place in the area prior to independence. One thought such a bold move by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35760
Sudan
Amnesty in South Sudan, Civilians Urged to Handover their Guns
16 January 2012
Sudan Tribune (France)
BENTIU - Forces from South Sudan's army, Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), have begun a disarmament campaign in Unity state's volatile Mayom County where rebels have been fighting the government.
The South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA) began it's rebellion early last year vowing to overthrow the Juba government because of its corruption, tribalism and nepotism.
On Monday Mayom's Commissioner, Martin Machot Deng, warned citizens through state radio Bentiu FM 99 to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35744
Europe,Tunisia
Import Network of Guns between Europe and Tunisia Dismantled [Francais]
13 January 2012
Business News (Tunis)
Un réseau d'importation d'armes à feu et de munitions en provenance de l'Europe a été découvert et démantelé par la brigade de lutte anti-terroriste, selon une déclaration de Moez Mhadhbi, chef du service de la lutte anti-terroriste, vendredi 13 janvier 2012 à Mosaïque Fm.
Le réseau était implanté à travers le pays. Les armes, qui étaient distribuées, dans plusieurs endroits à travers la Tunisie, ont été saisies. Plusieurs individus impliqués, et... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Business News (Tunis)
35734
Niger,Algeria
Algeria Seizes 100 Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns Near Niger Border
5 January 2012
Magharebia (USA)
ANP soldiers intercepted a four-vehicle convoy of arms smugglers near the Niger border, the Algerian defence ministry announced Wednesday (January 4th).
"Individuals from different African nations… were trying to bring through a big cargo of arms and ammunition," APS quoted the ministry as saying about the Tuesday operation.
More than 100 assault rifles and submachine guns, two RPG-7 rocket launchers and other weapons were seized, the ministry said, without... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Magharebia (USA)
35716
Egypt
Arms Suppliers Urged to End Transfers of Small Arms to Egypt Army - AI
19 December 2011
Bikya Masr (Egypt)
Global arms suppliers must halt the transfer of small arms, ammunition and other repressive equipment to the Egyptian military and security forces, Amnesty International said today after the army again violently dispersed protests in Cairo.
The organization condemned the excessive use of force against protesters and called for a cessation of all transfers of small arms, light weapons and related munitions and equipment to Egypt, as well as a halt to all internal... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bikya Masr (Egypt)
35684
Libya,Algeria
Libyan Arms Smugglers Arrested in Algeria [Francais]
13 December 2011
El Khabar (Algeria)
[Translated summary: Algeria forces arrested 7 Libyans, claiming to be insurgents, for illegal smuggling of an important load of arms, including semi-automatic firearms, rocket launcher and rockets.]
Déclarant être des insurgés et qui s'étaient égarés près de la vile libyenne de Ghat
7 libyens en possession d'une cargaison d'armes arrêtés par les unités de l'ANP à Djanet
Les unités de l'ANP ont intercepté dans la nuit de dimanche à Lundi deux 4x4... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: El Khabar (Algeria)
35665
Libya
Libyan Civilians Hold On to a Deadly Legacy: Assault Rifles, Machine Guns
7 December 2011
New York Times
MISURATA, Libya — On the night that he was to die, Hassan Nahassi should have been safe.
It was Oct. 20. A middle-age man turned Libyan rebel commander, Mr. Nahassi had returned home in the evening, leaving behind the front lines of Surt for a reprieve from the fighting. He wanted to rest with his wife and children.
Then came the news. Muatassim el-Qaddafi, a son of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, had been captured on the front that Mr. Nahassi had left only hours... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35640
Libya
Lockdown in Tripoli as Libyan Leaders Demand Civilians Give Up Guns
7 December 2011
Bloomberg (USA)
Tripoli was placed under a security lockdown as the governing National Transitional Council sought to impose control over local militias and demanded that residents give up their weapons by the end of the month.
Side streets were closed and armed security units set up checkpoints on main roads in the Libyan capital in the most extensive security operation in the city since Muammar Qaddafi was toppled and Tripoli fell to revolutionary forces in August. Prime Minister... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bloomberg (USA)
35630
Thailand,Colombia,Russia,United States,Uganda,Rwanda,South Africa,United Arab Emirates,Belgium,Sudan,Somalia,Côte d'Ivoire,Liberia,Angola,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Congo (DRC)
Stopping the Trade in Death, Gun Trafficking, Smuggling - Opinion
6 December 2011
New York Times, Opinion
On a dark November morning in 2004, I woke up in my bungalow overlooking Lake Kivu, tense with anticipation. Our small United Nations team was about to undertake a surprise inspection of three airfields in eastern Congo, notorious for smuggling operations.
With the backing of U.N. peacekeeping forces and a U.N. Security Council mandate, we searched almost every incoming and outgoing aircraft that day. By evening, we had the evidence to link several aviation front... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35632
Libya,Eastern Europe,France
3% of 3,500 Guns Seized in France Are Automatic Assault Rifles [Francais]
29 November 2011
Europe 1
[Translated Summary: French police seized 3,500 weapons since the beginning of the year, 3% of which were automatic rifles. In Eastern Europe, an AK-47 costs some hundred Euros, but once in France, it costs around 2,000 to 3,000 Euros.]
Decryptage - Les armes automatiques circulent illégalement. D'où viennent-elles, qui les utilisent ?
Deux fusillades meurtrières en moins de 24 heures à Marseille. Et par deux fois, les malfaiteurs ont tiré à l'arme de guerre, en... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Europe 1
35592
Tunisia,North Africa,Libya
Alarming UN Report Highlights Proliferation of Weapons in Libya
27 November 2011
Tunisia Live (Tunis)
Since the Libyan Revolution an alarming number of loose weapons have saturated Libyan society, according to a recent report issued by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
Many weapons warehouses holding a wide variety of illicit firearms have been discovered all over Libya. The weapons include antipersonnel weapons, mines, bombs or heavy weapons such as the antiaircraft cannons which threaten the civil air navigation. The report also stated that Libya "has accumulated the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Tunisia Live (Tunis)
35599
Sudan
South Sudan Government in Fresh Battle to Disarm Civilians
27 November 2011
Radio Netherlands / ANP / AFP
One of Africa's longest-running wars left this land in ruins and battling a bitter legacy that threatens prospects for peace -- a stockpile of weapons spurring cattle raids and banditry.
After seceding from the north in July, South Sudan begun a clean-up to rid civilians of arms taken up during the brutal two-decade civil war with the Khartoum army in the north.
But despite the efforts, many continue to live in fear of rampant livestock theft committed by men who... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Radio Netherlands / ANP / AFP
35589
Egypt
Fearing Armed Violence, Egyptians Steal 80,000 Guns from Police Stations
25 November 2011
IRIN (UN News)
CAIRO - It took Ahmed Fawzi, a College of Islamic Studies graduate, only a few hours after seeing a man robbed and killed by a group of criminals to buy a gun.
"I just did not want to be killed like this innocent man," Fawzi, 26, told IRIN. "My father died years ago and I am responsible for defending my family in the absence of all types of security."
Egyptians are discovering the need to defend themselves, in the wake of the uncertainty and insecurity following the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: IRIN (UN News)
35586
Libya
Handicap International Graffiti Contest Promotes Gun Control in Libya
21 November 2011
Tripoli Post (Libya)
The Saturday forecast warned of a rainy November afternoon - a crowd gathered nonetheless at the Tashkil Libya Al-Hurra Brigade in Keesh for one of Benghazi's first ever formal graffiti contests organised by French NGO Handicap International to raise awareness of the dangers posed by small arms and light weapons.
However, for many of the young contestants it was as much an opportunity for personal expression, as it was about tackling one of Libya's most pressing... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Tripoli Post (Libya)
35561
North Africa,China,Ukraine,Chad,Mali,Niger,France,Europe,United States,Libya
Hundreds of Thousands of Libyan Assault Rifles Looking for New Owners?
15 November 2011
Time (USA)
More than three weeks after Libya's rebels killed Muammar Gaddafi, arms experts say the task of finding and securing the mountain of weaponry abandoned by Gaddafi's forces in their final rout has been complicated by a lack of international funding and coordination, as well as conflicting priorities among Western and African governments about which weapons pose the biggest threat.
While U.S. and European officials have sounded the alarm about the threat posted to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Time (USA)
35547
Algeria,France,Mauritania,Mali,Israel,Egypt,United States,West Africa,Niger,North Africa,Libya
Smuggled Libyan Arms Threaten to Destabilise Swath of African Continent
12 November 2011
Wall Street Journal
Weapons smuggled from Libya after the collapse of Moammar Gadhafi's government are flowing through the surrounding region, the president of the west African nation of Niger said Friday, a development that threatens to destabilize a swath of the continent already struggling against ethnic unrest and a regional branch of al Qaeda.
"Arms were stolen in Libya and are being disseminated all over the region," President Mahamadou Issoufou told reporters following a meeting... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Wall Street Journal
35536
Libya,Mexico,Germany
Assault Weapon Bribery Probe: Gun Maker Heckler & Koch Raided Again
10 November 2011
Associated Press
BERLIN — Some 300 police officers searched the headquarters of Heckler & Koch Thursday amid allegations the German arms maker bribed Mexican officials to boost its sales, prosecutors said.
The firm is under investigation on suspicion that it "bribed officials in Mexico using cash payments for several years" in connection with arms deliveries between 2005 and 2010, Stuttgart prosecution spokeswoman Claudia Krauth said.
A spokeswoman for Heckler & Koch GmbH confirmed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
35530
Sudan
2,000 Arms Collected in Sudan During Disarmament Programmes
8 November 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
LONDON — The Cueibet county commissioner has told the media that the Lakes state disarmament programme that began in September will begin its next phase after the completion of phase two on 3 November.
On 5 November commissioner Isaac Mayom Malek told Good News Radio that the next phase will involve the confiscation of arms in the possession of those who retained illegal firearms in the previous phases.
Malek disclosed that since 768 firearms have recently been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35541
Sudan
South Sudan's Army to Begin Disarming Civilians in Unity State
2 November 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
RUMBEK - South Sudan's army has begun deploying two battalions to carry out a disarmament campaign in Unity state this week.
Since a 2005 peace deal that led the South Sudan's independence in July this year, former rebels, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), have been the official army of the region.
Despite hostilities with north Sudan ending six years ago South Sudan remains insecure with various rebels groups and local people carrying weapons.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35500
North Africa,West Asia,South America,Africa,Thailand,Colombia,United States
Global Gun Runner, 'Merchant of Death' Viktor Bout Swiftly Convicted
2 November 2011
BBC News
A former Soviet military officer has been found guilty in a New York court of attempting to sell heavy weapons to a Colombian rebel group.
Prosecutors said Viktor Bout, 44, who has been dubbed the merchant of death, stood to make millions from supplying weapons to the group.
The defence argued Bout had only wanted to sell two cargo planes.
He was arrested in Bangkok in 2008 after a sting operation in which US informants posed as Colombian rebels.
He remained in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
35497
Mexico,Congo (DRC),Sudan,Central African Republic,Sri Lanka,Colombia,Jamaica,Iraq,El Salvador,Central Africa,Caribbean,Central America,South America
Study Finds Again That Crime, Not War is Main Source of Gun Violence
29 October 2011
Associated Press
GENEVA — More people are killed by armed violence resulting from crime than are killed in war, with Latin America and a swath of countries through the middle of Africa among the hardest hit, an international study claimed Thursday.
About 526,000 people die violently every year — or more than 1,400 people every day — according to the 2011 Global Burden of Armed Violence report.
Only about 55,000 of those killed die in warfare, while an estimated 396,000 people... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
35488
North Africa,East Africa,Rwanda
Rwanda Government Steps Up War Against Illegal Small Arms
28 October 2011
New Times (Rwanda)
In a bid to implement the international declarations and protocols that call upon states to adopt measures to fight against the proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), Rwanda on Wednesday officially launched its National Action Plan (NAP).
The five-year plan will see national focal points formed, mass mobilisation and campaigns conducted and cross-border cooperation reinforced to effectively control and prevent illegal arms trade in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Times (Rwanda)
35478
Sudan,China
South Sudan Rebels Have New Chinese Assault Rifles, Says Swiss Group
26 October 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
KHARTOUM – Relatively new Chinese weapons have been seized from rebel groups in South Sudan, according to the Small Arms Survey research organisation.
Arms captured from rebel fighters loyal to both Peter Gadet and George Athor included Chinese Type-56-1 assault rifles. South Sudan has repeatedly accused Khartoum of backing southern rebels in an attempt to destabilise the oil-rich nation, which became independent in July.
Khartoum denies that it arms rebels in South... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35468
Niger,Mauritania,Mali,Libya,Algeria,United States
US, Algeria to Cooperate in Fight Against Libyan Arms Trafficking [Francais]
24 October 2011
Le Nouvel Observateur (France) / AP
[Translated summary: The United States wants to strengthen cooperation with Algeria in the fight against small arms trafficking from neighboring Libya. Sahel countries - Algeria, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger - are concerned about the movement of illicit small arms from Libya.]
ALGER — Les Etats-Unis souhaitent renforcer la coopération avec l'Algérie pour lutter contre le trafic d'armes en provenance de la Libye voisine, a déclaré lundi le secrétaire d'Etat... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Nouvel Observateur (France) / AP
35452
India,Spain,United Kingdom,Italy,Germany,France,Czech Republic,Bulgaria,Belgium,Austria,Yemen,Syria,Libya,Egypt,Bahrain,West Asia,North Africa,Europe,Russia,United States
Major Arms Exporters Accused of Mideast Gun Sales Before Human Rights
24 October 2011
al Jazeera
According to an Amnesty International report, the US, Russia and a number of European countries supplied large quantities of weapons to repressive governments in the Middle East and North Africa before this year's uprisings.
The report says that these arms deals were signed despite evidence of a substantial risk that they could be used to commit serious human rights violations.
The human rights group reports that in the five years preceding the Arab spring $2.4bn... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
35448
Sudan,Congo (DRC),Djibouti,Central Africa,East Africa,Rwanda
Rwanda to Lead Campaign Against Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons
20 October 2011
New Times (Rwanda)
Rwanda was, on Tuesday, elected to spearhead a regional campaign against illicit small arms and light weapons.
The country was picked by delegates attending a ministerial council meeting of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), a grouping of 15 eastern and central African countries, dedicated to eradicating the proliferation of illegal arms across their borders.
The meeting was held in the Horn of African nation of Djibouti.
Rwanda was elected on the basis of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Times (Rwanda)
35440
European Union,China,Germany,South Korea,Switzerland,Serbia,France,United Kingdom,Syria,Yemen,Bulgaria,Belgium,Libya,Italy,Bahrain,Egypt,United States,Russia,West Asia,North Africa,Finland,Austria,Sudan,North Korea,Spain
Tracing the Middle East Weapons Flow
19 October 2011
al Jazeera
Earlier this year, as mass popular uprisings spread through the Middle East and audiences across the world sat transfixed by images of unarmed citizens confronting iron-fisted security forces in the streets of Arab capitals, powerful governments from Russia to the United States were forced to begin accounting for the weapons they had for decades sold to the very rulers they now found themselves abandoning.
In Egypt and Bahrain, protesters held up tear gas canisters... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
35436
Germany,France,Czech Republic,Bulgaria,United Kingdom,Belgium,Austria,Yemen,Syria,Libya,Egypt,Bahrain,North America,West Asia,North Africa,Europe,United States,Russia,Italy,Spain
Arab Spring Abuses Show Need for Arms Trade Curb - Amnesty
18 October 2011
Reuters (Africa)
LONDON - Russia, the United States and European countries ignored fears over human rights abuses and sold large numbers of weapons to governments in the Middle East and North Africa in recent years, Amnesty International said in a report on Wednesday.
Rights group Amnesty said the failings showed the need for a meaningful international arms trade treaty to choke off the supply of weapons to countries seen at risk of turning them on their own people.
"The Arab Spring... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters (Africa)
35431
United States,Libya,Germany
Germany Provides Eur 750,000 for Destruction of Small Arms in Libya
17 October 2011
African Press Organization (APO)
BERLIN, Germany -- The German Government is providing EUR 750,000 for the securing and destruction of small arms – including man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS) – up to the end of this year.
The money will be used to enable specialist Libyan and international teams to locate, secure and destroy small arms and ammunition arsenals.
In Foreign Minister Westerwelle's view, supporting the securing and destruction of old weapons is an important task for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: African Press Organization (APO)
35424
Iran,Yemen,Turkey,Libya,Iraq,Lebanon,Syria
Syria's Alawites Go on Arms Shopping Spree
16 October 2011
Jerusalem Post (Israel)
Small arms are increasingly in demand inside volatile Syria, particularly among the country's Alawite minority, who fear they may face retaliation over the revolt against their co-religionist, President Bashar Assad.
Most of the weapons are being smuggled in from Lebanon, once an end user of small arms during the country's 15-year civil war that ended in 1990. Today, Lebanon is overflowing with automatic weapons, grenades and hunting rifles, all of which are in demand... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Jerusalem Post (Israel)
35420
Libya,Mali
The Return of Ex-Combatants from Libya to Mali Worries [Francais]
12 October 2011
Radio France Internationale (Afrique)
[Translated summary: The return of Malian ex-combatants, from Libya to Mali, worries. They come back with an important military arsenal and these weapons will easily find takers in Sahel.]
Dans le nord du Mali, plusieurs dizaines d'ex-combattants libyens d'origine malienne sont attendus d'ici quelques jours. Il s'agit de membres de l'armée libyenne pro-Kadhafi, qui ont été défaits et qui cherchent aujourd'hui à retourner dans leur pays d'origine. Mais alors que... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Radio France Internationale (Afrique)
35412
Sudan
Only UN Can Offer Sustainable Disarmament of Civilians in South Sudan
12 October 2011
Sudan Tribune (France), Opinion
It's commendable that the government of South Sudan took upon itself the bold initiative ever to address the widespread insecurity in the country through an enforced nationwide disarmament campaign. However, six and a half years in the row the much applauded campaign has paradoxically come to stand as a testimony of the failures after failures incurred under the leadership of this system that never learns from its mistakes.
Firearms make their ways from the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35401
Uganda,Sudan,Ethiopia,Somalia,Kenya
Onus Now on Kenya Government to Halt the Firearms Threat - Opinion
9 October 2011
Daily Nation (Nairobi), Opinion
Recent revelations that there are between 200,000 and 450,000 illegal firearms in circulation in the country are quite alarming.
The government must move fast to ensure that this trend of events is put to an immediate halt.
We believe that the country's porous borders are a contributory factor and the authorities must step up efforts to eradicate the menace.
The National Small Arms Mapping Survey, a joint effort between the government and the Swiss-based Small Arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Nation (Nairobi)
35387
Ukraine,Uganda,Sudan,Ethiopia,Libya,Somalia,Kenya
Police Close Kenya-Somalia Border, Attempt to Block 'Conduit of Illicit Arms'
5 October 2011
Business Daily (Nairobi)
Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere's Monday order to close the Kenya-Somalia border has not affected flights, offering miraa traders and humanitarian workers a lifeline.
Miraa is one of Kenya's largest exports to Somalia, accounting for a substantial share of the Sh13 billion export value to the country last year, according to the Economic Survey 2011.
"We do not have any indication of cancellation of flights from the commissioner's communication," said Kenya Police... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Business Daily (Nairobi)
35374
Qatar,Libya
Libyans Launch Grassroots Efforts to Stop Deadly Proliferation of Guns
1 October 2011
Miami Herald
TRIPOLI, Libya -- Alarmed at the deadly arsenals piling up in ordinary Libyan neighborhoods, self-appointed community leaders in Tripoli have begun issuing their own gun licenses and, in some cases, conducting raids to retrieve land mines and rockets stored in private homes.
Qatar and other nations flooded Libya with arms during revolutionary forces' six-month struggle to overthrow longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. And when the NATO-backed former rebels finally toppled... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Miami Herald
35348
Libya
'Everyone in Tripoli Has at Least One Gun' [Francais]
28 September 2011
Au Fait (Morocco) / AFP
[Translated summary: 'Everyone in Tripoli has at least one gun'; Teenagers brandish AK-47 to armed combatants; An AK-47 now costs $650. The proliferation of weapons in Libya worries the new authorities and the international community.]
Des adolescents brandissant des kalachnikovs dans les rues de Tripoli aux combattants armés de lance-roquettes sur le front, les armes sont partout en Libye et mettent en péril l'assise des nouvelles autorités. Hors de Libye,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Au Fait (Morocco) / AFP
35344
Venezuela,Libya,Russia
Russia Defence Ministry Orders an Update of the Kalashnikov Rifle
28 September 2011
Moscow Times
The Defense Ministry said Tuesday that it has suspended purchases of the legendary Kalashnikov rifle and is expecting the manufacturer, Izhevsk machinery plant, to present it with a new model of the weapon.
Mobilization reserves of Kalashnikov assault rifles, which the Soviet armed forces began using in 1949, are too big, and the ministry is not satisfied with the quality of the current firearms arsenal, General Staff chief Nikolai Makarov said.
The current reserves... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Moscow Times
35334
Libya,United States
As Civil War Winds Down, Libya Is Awash in Small Arms
26 September 2011
National (Abu Dhabi), Editorial
Somewhere amid the detritus of Col Muammar Qaddafi's unlamented regime, US officials say, are as many as 20,000 shoulder-launched rockets, each capable of shooting down an airliner or helicopter. The notion of such weapons in the hands of Al Qaeda or its allies is a nightmare for everyone.
For the people of Libya, however, those rockets are just part of a much wider problem: as the civil war winds down, after the collapse of Qaddafi's regime, the country is awash in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: National (Abu Dhabi)
35333
Sudan
Over 2,000 Firearms Collected in Lakes State, South Sudan
23 September 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
JUBA — The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) division six commander in charge of disarmament in Lakes and Unity states, Marial Chanuong Yol, told press that disarmament is moving ahead peacefully.
Yol said that 2,201 firearms have been collected in Lakes state since the disarmament campaign began on 7 September and the "surrendering of arms is still going on."
Lakes state has suffered cattle raids, robbery and inter-clan disputes as well inter-state conflict... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35331
North Africa,Libya,Egypt
Gun Smugglers Arrested Along Libya-Egypt Border
21 September 2011
Bikyamasr (Cairo)
CAIRO - Egyptian security forces arrested three people along the Egyptian-Libyan border on Wednesday attempting to smuggle guns and ammunition into the North African country, officials said.
The three Egyptian citizens were attempting to pass a checkpoint when they were caught, a gunfight exploding between smugglers and police.
According to local newspapers, the battle lasted three hours before the weapons were confiscated and the Egyptians were arrested.
Security... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bikyamasr (Cairo)
35307
East Africa,Somalia,Sudan,Uganda,Ethiopia,Kenya
Hundreds Die in Gun Violence, Cattle Rustling in East African Drought
20 September 2011
Think Africa Press, Opinion
TURKANA, Kenya - On a recent trip to Turkana in northern Kenya, somewhere between Maralal and Baragoi we stopped by a dry riverbed. A group of 12 men came into view through the desert scrub. As they drew closer their weapons were clearly visible, a mix of AK47s, ex-government issue G3s and a few older rifles. Our nervousness was unwarranted and the group barely slowed as they passed, merely raising their hands in greeting before continuing on towards some distant... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Think Africa Press
35315
Tanzania,Sudan,Somalia,Seychelles,Kenya,Eritrea,Ethiopia,Djibouti,East Africa,Congo (DRC),Rwanda,Burundi
RECSA Calls for Increased Efforts to Reduce Small Arms in East Africa
16 September 2011
New Times (Rwanda)
The Executive Secretary of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), Dr. Francis K. Sang, has called upon all countries within the region to come up with more mechanisms and strategies to fight against the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons.
RECSA is an intergovernmental body based in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together 13 countries from the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa region.
All member states that subscribe to the centre, including Rwanda, are... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Times (Rwanda)
35284
Sudan
South Sudan Army Begins Civilian Disarmament in Lakes State
10 September 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
JUBA — The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) which became the official army of the newly established Republic of South Sudan in July said on Saturday it has begun disarming civilians in Lakes state.
The spokesman of the army said South Sudan's military is responding to an order by Lakes state governor, Chol Tong Mayay, requesting the SPLA in the area peacefully collect all types of weapons from the civilian population.
Governor Mayay's order is a response to a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
35272
Libya
Tripoli Awash in Guns, Celebratory Shootings as Rebels Register Firearms
9 September 2011
Christian Science Monitor
TRIPOLI, Libya - As rebel forces moved on Libya's capital three weeks ago, the people of Tripoli prepared for the worst. They expected that Muammar Qaddafi would somehow "burn" the capital as he fell and state TV said the rebels would slaughter them.
Those apocalyptic fears have so far failed to materialize. Instead, three weeks after Mr. Qaddafi went into hiding, the celebrations continue. Now, the top cause of casualties in Tripoli is the number of bullets fired... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Christian Science Monitor
35266
North Africa,Libya
Loose Guns in Tripoli: How to Collect and Secure Small Arms [Francais]
4 September 2011
Afrique en Ligne
[Translated summary: The conflict in Tripoli and its liberation, as well as the discovery of ammunition and arsenals in various parts of the Libyan capital resulted in a phenomenon of propagation of small arms in the city. How to collect these small arms and when?]
Un défi majeur pour les nouvelles autorités - La bataille de Tripoli et sa libération ainsi que la découverte de munitions et d'entrepôts d'armes dans divers quartiers de la capitale libyenne ont donné... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Afrique en Ligne
35242
Ukraine,North Africa,Niger,Algeria,Mali,France,United Kingdom,United States,Libya
Libya Warned Smugglers Are Looting Gaddafi's Guns
2 September 2011
Guardian (UK)
Libya must urgently secure weapons hoarded by the Gaddafi regime amid growing fears that smugglers are exploiting the chaos there to loot hundreds of portable missiles and other small arms, western officials have warned.
The US and Nato are pressing the National Transitional Council to make the issue a priority because of concerns that the trade has already begun, with reports that some African mercenaries who fought for Colonel Muammar Gaddafi are returning home laden... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
35237
Libya
Bullets from the Sky, Amateurs with Guns Multiply Firearm Injury in Libya
30 August 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
ZUWARA, Libya — If not for guns, there would be a lot of idle hands in Libya.
Out front of what used to be a high school, Fethi Karshman, 49, whose brother Samir lives in St. Catharines, Ont., is wiping down parts of a Russian anti-aircraft gun.
When he is done, Karshman, an engineer who studied Russian in university, will re-assemble the weapon, which sits on a flatbed truck.
"We take it from Gadhafi (forces) yesterday," he says.
Asked if he knows guns, Karshman... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Toronto Star (Ontario)
35230
Egypt,Libya,Israel,North Africa,West Asia
Libya Threatens to Provide Arsenal of Guns for Region's Militants, Terrorists
28 August 2011
Jerusalem Post (Israel) / Media Line
The collapse of strongman Muamar Gaddafi's government and the ensuing chaos in Libya could prove to be boon to the militant groups in Africa and the Middle East by opening up arsenals of weaponry ranging from small arms to chemicals, experts are warning.
Rebels have seized much of the country including most of the capital Tripoli, but as of late Thursday they were still battling Gaddafi loyalists and struggling to establish law and order in a country wracked by six... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Jerusalem Post (Israel) / Media Line
35221
Macedonia,Puerto Rico,United States,Libya
How Dangerous is Celebratory Gunfire? Many Innocents Are Struck, Killed
24 August 2011
Guardian (UK)
Without doubt, war correspondents are wise to wear helmets and flak jackets while sending dispatches from shell-pounded streets crackling with gunfire.
But when Sky News reporter Alex Crawford rode into Tripoli this week on a rebel pickup truck, she was more worried about celebratory gunfire – because of the danger posed by bullets landing on her head.
While some early studies conjectured that bullets shot upwards simply vanished into space, the threat from falling... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
35217
Serbia,Macedonia,Kuwait,Iraq,Philippines,Jordan,Turkey,United States,Libya
Celebratory Shooting Injuries: How Dangerous is Firing a Gun Into the Air?
22 August 2011
BBC News
Libyan rebels have celebrated their advance into Tripoli by firing guns in the air. How hazardous is this?
It is, unarguably, an emphatic way to display one's jubilation.
Shooting an automatic weapon into the sky to signal an occasion one welcomes is a popular practice in much of the world, as the footage of Libyan anti-Gaddafi forces seizing the main square of the capital city has demonstrated.
But it is a potentially fatal activity, which regularly results in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
35213
Sri Lanka,Sudan,Malawi,Zambia,Mozambique,Macedonia,Liberia,Sierra Leone,West Africa,Africa,South Africa
Africa: Analysis: How Best to Remove Guns from Post-conflict Zones?
28 July 2011
IRIN (UN News)
JOHANNESBURG - Cash for guns or buy-back programmes in post-conflict states have fallen out of favour as a method of ridding a society of weapons, and have been replaced by often elaborate schemes designed to remove money from the equation, but the debate continues as to the best way forward.
The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) community has grappled for years with buy-back practices and acknowledges they can have a profound effect on the nature of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: IRIN (UN News)
35133
France,Qatar,United Kingdom,Libya,Russia,Italy
Small Arms Seized by Italy Gone Missing, Libya Likely Destination
20 July 2011
Scotsman (Edinburgh)
A shipment of weapons seized by the Italian navy following a tip-off from British secret agents has gone missing - most likely ending up in the hands of Libya's rebels.
The haul, which was described by one military expert as "enough to start and win a small war", included 400 anti-tank missiles and 50 launchers for them; 30,000 AK47s; 5,000 Katusha rockets; 11,000 anti-tank rockets and 32 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
All of the Russian-made weapons were... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Scotsman (Edinburgh)
35083
Algeria,Libya
Firearm Smuggling at Algerian Borders, 'Exaggerated Rumor' [Francais]
12 July 2011
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
[Translated summary: The "rumor" of large numbers of weapons movements to the Algerian borders due to the Libyan conflict was "a little exaggerated," said the Algerian Minister of Interior Daho Ould Kablia. According to the Minister of Interior, the borders are well secured.]
ALGER - La "rumeur" de circulation d'armes en grand nombre aux frontières algériennes du fait du conflit en Libye a été "un peu exagérée", a estimé lundi le ministre algérien de... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
35050
Libya
NATO Appears to Give Libya's Rebel Gun-running Boats Safe Passage
6 July 2011
al Jazeera
As the daughter of a ship's captain, I've been on some strange voyages in my time. But our passage to Misrata in late June had to be the craziest.
Cameraman Nick and I had boarded the 60-foot tug boat Ezzarouk with camera kit, flak jackets and plenty of fruit. We were heading to Misrata, where fruit was in short supply, and you've got to get your five-a-day. But fruit was the least of our worries as we rounded the port buildings in Benghazi.
There was the ship's crew,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
35020
Ghana,Nigeria,Côte d'Ivoire,Libya,West Africa
West Africa Faces Spiral of Gun Running, Mercenaries and Armed Violence
3 July 2011
Daily Sun (Nigeria), Editorial
The alert by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on trafficking in arms and mercenaries in the sub region deserves urgent attention.
This is more so as it has been reported that the increasing shootings and bombings in the Northern part of the country have cross border influences. The ECOWAS intelligence report revealed that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in West Africa is the fallout of the ongoing crisis in Libya and the recent... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Sun (Nigeria)
35008
Sudan
Southern Sudan: Still 700,000 Illegal Firearms in Circulation [Francais]
2 July 2011
leJDD.fr (France)
[Translated summary: Southern Sudan will soon become the 193rd country on the world map, but all those years of civil war will not facilitate the development of the country. NGOs estimate that 700,000 illicit firearms are still in the hands of the population.]
Le 9 juillet prochain, le Sud-Soudan deviendra le 193ème état sur la carte du monde. Une indépendance acquise de longue lutte avec son voisin du Nord. En janvier dernier, la population avait voté massivement... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: leJDD.fr (France)
35017
Kenya,Sudan
Southern Sudan Faces Major Challenge in Disarming 150,000 Soldiers
2 July 2011
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
Southern Sudan is facing a major challenge of disarming more than 150,000 soldiers and easing them back to civilian life when it gains independence this week.
Southern Sudan Disarmament Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission chairman William Deng Deng said the new state wants to get rid of excess forces including the elderly, disabled and children.
"These are soldiers that are no longer useful after the war. We now need an organised, professional, controllable... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Nation (Nairobi)
35005
United Kingdom,United States,Europe,India,China,Russia,Libya,France
France Air-dropped Guns to Libyan Civilians: In Breach of Arms Embargo?
30 June 2011
Le Point (France) / Reuters
[Translated summary: France acknowledged that it airlifted small arms to Libyan civilians fighting Moammar Gadhafi's forces in a besieged mountain region south of Tripoli. Critics say that this is against the UN arms embargo].
NEW YORK, PARIS - La France a défendu sa décision de parachuter des armes aux insurgés libyens, une opération à laquelle l'Otan n'a pas été associée et qui suscite jeudi une controverse, les Nations unies ayant imposé en février un... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Point (France) / Reuters
35000
Palestine,Libya,Chad,Sudan,Egypt
Smuggled, Stolen and Homemade, Guns Flood Egypt's Streets
27 June 2011
Al Masry Al Youm (Egypt)
A new conversation has been taking place around Egypt for the past five months, one that rarely came up before. How do you acquire a firearm?
With rising crime rates and an ongoing security vacuum since 28 January, the smuggling, manufacturing, and purchasing of weapons is on the rise.The insecurity has generated new clients and markets in a country where previously one rarely heard of civilians carrying personal weapons. The persistent security vacuum has sparked a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Al Masry Al Youm (Egypt)
34989
Egypt
Firearm Amnesty Picks Up Momentum in Egypt
25 June 2011
Egyptian Gazette (Cairo)
CAIRO - More than 15 firearms, including eight automatic rifles, seven handguns and 200 bullets, were handed in to Cairo police on the first day of Egypt's two-month weapons amnesty which ends next month, an Interior Ministry official said.
The national amnesty, the first since the January 25 revolution and in part prompted by fears of a growing firearms culture, began on June 1 and runs until the end of July 31. It has netted 15 weapons and 200 bullets across Cairo,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Egyptian Gazette (Cairo)
34983
South America,South Asia,Central Asia,Eastern Europe,Africa,Egypt,France,Italy,Libya
Libya's Rebels: Where Are the Weapons From?
15 June 2011
The Interpreter - Lowy Institute for International Policy (Australia)
Libya's rebels appear to be armed in a fairly predictable way. The basis of their armoury seems to come from weapons taken from state stockpiles in battle and from defecting Libyan officers. The literature refers to these as 'battle-captures', or euphemistically, 'leakage'. In Libya's case, it's clearly a flood.
Libya was one of the largest purchasers of conventional military equipment in the developing world in the 1970s and 80s. While the USSR was its main supplier,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: The Interpreter - Lowy Institute for International Policy (Australia)
34956
Uganda,East Africa,Somalia,Ethiopia,Sudan,Kenya
East Africa: Put Down Your Gun, Pick Up Your Baton and Run for Peace
12 June 2011
East African (Nairobi)
As she posed for a picture with cattle rustlers long used to treating guns as toys, East African Community Deputy Secretary General for Political Federation Beatrice Kiraso made a provocative statement.
"The richest people in the world are not cattle keepers but industrialised nations," she told an audience of mainly cattle keeping communities during the 8th edition of the Moroto Peace Race recently.
You don't tell that to a community that lives and dies for cattle.... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: East African (Nairobi)
34955
United States,North Africa,Russia,European Union,East Asia,Indonesia,China
The Arms Trade Treaty, Several Hurdles Must be Overcome Before 2012
8 June 2011
United Nations News & Commentary
In a three-day meeting organized by the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) the European Union, and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, representatives of nearly 30 East Asian and Pacific countries are gathering with regional and international organizations to discuss the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
This is the latest in a series of regional meetings UNIDIR is conducting to develop concrete recommendations on the future Treaty and to assist States with... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Nations News & Commentary
34919
Algeria
Firearms Trafficking Network Dismantled in Algeria: 16 Charged
31 May 2011
Le Temps d'Algérie
Un réseau de trafic d'armes à feu a été démantelé dans la wilaya de Mostaganem par le groupement de la Gendarmerie nationale de la wilaya selon son premier responsable, le commandant Mohamed Ben Hmida. Ce réseau est composé de seize personnes dont trois accusées de soutien au terrorisme.
Trois autres personnes demeurent actuellement en fuite et font l'objet de recherches. La gendarmerie a aussi récupéré 22 armes à feu dont 16 pistolets automatiques (PA) de... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Temps d'Algérie
34882
Libya,Germany
Arms Exports to Libya Show Apparent Hypocrisy of German Foreign Policy
21 April 2011
Deutsche Welle
At the end of February, a shaky video appeared on Youtube showing Moammar Gadhafi's son Saif al-Islam addressing a raucous crowd in Tripoli. Struggling to keep the regime supporters quiet long enough to speak, Saif promises that weapons will be handed out to fight the opposition forces. As if to show what kind of weapons he means, Saif waves a large machine gun.
This gun has been identified as a Heckler and Koch G36, manufactured in Germany. It's the standard weapon of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
34702
Libya
Old Enough to Hold a Gun, Old Enough to Fight - How the Law is Ignored
18 April 2011
Scotsman (Edinburgh), Column
Today's revelations that Muammar al-Gaddafi has been pressing child soldiers into action is likely to be pounced on by prosecutors at the International Criminal Court.
Using under-age soldiers in the ranks is a war crime under the ICC statute, and this was the charge brought against Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga in the first case ever heard by the court.
For prosecutors, the charge is attractive because it is simple to prove; the only crime is the fact that the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Scotsman (Edinburgh)
34690
Morocco,Algeria,Syria,Tunisia,Egypt,Yemen,Bahrain,Libya,United Kingdom
Lawmakers Report Says Britain Misjudged Its Middle East Gun Sales
5 April 2011
Associated Press
LONDON, United Kingdom - British lawmakers issued a critical report Tuesday showing that Britain approved sales of shotguns and tear gas to Libya, machine guns and sniper rifles to Bahrain and military technology to Yemen over the last three years.
Parliament's foreign affairs, defense, international development and business committees said in a joint report that ministers failed to consider the implications of weapons sales to the Middle East and elsewhere.
"Both the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
34635
West Asia,United Arab Emirates,Egypt,Yemen,Turkey
Turkey Probes 'Unauthorised' Shipment of 16,000 Handguns to Yemen
25 March 2011
Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey - Turkey says it is investigating a shipment of thousands of Turkish-made small arms bound for Yemen that were seized by Dubai police.
A statement from Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Friday insisted that no such shipment had been authorized by Turkish officials.
Dubai's police found 16,000 pistols concealed in a cargo shipping container. It says the shipment originated in Turkey and passed through an Egyptian port before reaching the Gulf Emirate.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
34593
Egypt
In Fear of Crime, More Egyptians Take to Carrying Guns for Self Protection
23 March 2011
Daily News (Egypt)
CAIRO - With rumors circulating about thugs roaming the streets, safety has become a major concern post-the January 25 Revolution, forcing many Egyptians to embrace their newfound freedom with a gun in hand.
Panic ensued when police pulled from the streets on Jan. 28 and news of prison breaks and looting broke out. This prompted people to take matters into their own hands and form neighborhood watch committees to protect their families and homes.
The committees were... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily News (Egypt)
34580
Libya,United Kingdom,United States
Licensed US/UK Gun Dealers Planned to Sell 130,000 AKs to Libya
3 February 2011
Democrat and Chronicle (New York)
A British company linked to the alleged illegal smuggling of AK-47 magazines bought by a Chili-based firearms dealer was the focus of 2008 U.S. State Department classified memos released recently by WikiLeaks.
The memos, published by the Telegraph newspaper in the United Kingdom, centered on the planned purchase of 130,000 Kalashnikov semiautomatic rifles by Libya. The British company York Guns intended to act as an intermediary for the sale, the memos allege, and York... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Democrat and Chronicle (New York)
34332
Sudan
South Sudan President Tackles Problem of Celebratory Gunfire Deaths
27 January 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
South Sudan president, Salva Kiir Mayardit strongly warned members of the armed forces against celebratory gun-fire on the day of the announcement of the final referendum results, due on 14 February.
Kiir, also Sudan's first vice-president, urged these forces to protect peoples' lives and properties, just like they did during the one-week long referendum polling period, widely regarded as peaceful.
"Your excitement should not cause misery to yourselves and others. I... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
34268
Egypt
Egyptian Cop Gave Assault Rifle to Bus Driver Who Killed 8 Passengers
9 July 2010
Daily News (Egypt)
Egypt doesn't immediately spring to mind when it comes to peacetime random shooting sprees by "ordinary" people.
School shootings in the US have that title. The earliest and deadliest was in 1927 with what came to be known as the Bath School Disaster where, according to wikipedia, 45 people were killed (many of them grade school children) and 58 were injured when Andrew Kehoe, provoked by a property tax that would have lost him his farm, first killed his wife, burnt... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily News (Egypt)
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