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Firearm News

Cameroon,Nigeria,Niger,Chad

Doubts Over Cameroonian Claims of Arms Cache Find in Nigeria

9 April 2014

Deutsche Welle

The announcement of the discovery in Cameroon of a large cache of arms and ammunition intended for Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria is regarded in some quarters as government propaganda. There was alarm in northern Cameroon when it was announced in early April that two Italian priests and a nun had been kidnapped by suspected members of the Islamist sect Boko Haram, which is waging an insurgency in neighboring Nigeria. The whereabouts of the three are still unknown.... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Deutsche Welle

38543

Africa,North Africa,Russia,Syria,Mali,Qatar,Turkey,Libya,Egypt,Chad,Somalia,Nigeria,Niger

Libya's Guns Free-For-All Fuels Region's Turmoil

22 March 2014

St Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)

TRIPOLI — At the heart of the Libyan capital, the open-air Fish Market was once a place where residents went to buy everything from meat and seafood to clothes and pets. Now it's Tripoli's biggest arms market, with tables displaying pistols and assault rifles. Ask a vendor, and he can pull out bigger machine guns to sell for thousands of dollars. Libya, where hundreds of militias hold sway and the central government is virtually powerless, is awash in millions of... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: St Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)

38494

Libya,West Asia,Egypt,Syria,Mali,North Africa,Italy,France,United States,United Kingdom,Russia,Belarus,China,Algeria,Caribbean,South America,Niger,Chad,European Union,Tunisia

Post-Uprising Gun Proliferation is Destabilising the Middle East

20 February 2014

Fair Observer

In recent years, as order in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) eroded between uprisings and armed conflicts, the desire for arms amongst a wide range of actors became one more destabilizing factor in the complexities of each situation. However, arms proliferation is nothing new to the MENA region. Whether it was through state actors or black market trading, weapons have circulated throughout the Middle East and North Africa for many years. Today, arms... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Fair Observer

38403

Niger,Algeria,Tunisia,Somalia,Chad,Palestine,Mali,Liberia,Egypt

Egypt Major Recipient of Illicit Libyan Weapons: UN Report

10 April 2013

Daily News (Egypt)

The United Nations published a report on Tuesday which concludes that weapons used during the Libyan civil war against Muammar Gaddafi are being funnelled at an alarming rate to other countries in the region. The report said these weapons have been found to be used in the recent war in Mali, the West Bank in Palestine and the ongoing Syrian civil war, with Egypt and the Sahel region receiving the most significant amounts. The report said these weapons are fuelling... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Daily News (Egypt)

37305

Syria,Russia,Africa,China,India,Pakistan,European Union,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,Congo (DRC),Sudan,Chad,Colombia

NGOs Set Minimum Specifications for Arms Trade Treaty [FR]

27 June 2012

Le Monde (France), Opinion

[Translated summary: Associations, NGOs and hundreds of members of the global coalition "Control Arms" have set minimum specifications for the future Arms Trade Treaty. It will have to control all types of conventional arms and ammunition used by military as well as by law enforcement, since they can be used for serious human rights violations. ATT will include exports but also imports, transit and all types of transfers and all actors, such as arms brokers, like Viktor... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Le Monde (France)

36280

Libya,Congo (DRC),Chad,Central African Republic,Sudan

Sudan's Small Arms and Light Weapons Conference: a Right Step

29 May 2012

Sudan Vision Daily

Last week Khartoum hosted the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) conference for Sudan and its western neighbouring states including Central African Republic, the Republic of Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Libya. The conference aimed at strengthening cooperation and coordination efforts in order to control the spread, flow, misuse and illegal circulation of small arms and light weapons within and across the borders, and on the fundamental... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Sudan Vision Daily

36187

Egypt,Africa,Congo (DRC),Central African Republic,Sudan,Chad,Libya

African States Vow to Curb Arms Flow with Global Gun Trade Treaty

24 May 2012

New Vision (Kampala) / AFP

Security officials from five African states have pledged to step up cooperation to control the flow of small arms after a UN-backed conference. Ministers of interior and security from Libya, Chad, Sudan and Central African Republic, as well as a provincial governor from Democratic Republic of Congo, agreed to establish a joint body to counter the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. A declaration issued late Wednesday after their two-day conference said the... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: New Vision (Kampala) / AFP

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Congo (DRC),Libya,Sudan,Central African Republic,Chad

Sudan, UN Coordinate to Combat Spread of Small Arms in the Region

22 May 2012

Sudan Vision Daily

KHARTOUM – The United Nations announced that it is coordinating with the Sudanese Government and the Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (DDRC) to combat use of small and light arms in the Sudan, to strengthen institutions at the national level to curb armed violence and reduce demand on arms. Use of arms disrupts development and spreads chaos, UN resident Coordinator, Ali Al-Zaetri, said, adding that the economic loss caused by the use of these... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Sudan Vision Daily

36157

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 [FR]

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

Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,Chad,Syria,Sri Lanka,Colombia,Greece

The Arms Trade Treaty and Human Rights - Amnesty's Report [FR]

25 January 2012

Amnesty International

[Translated summary: While international negotiations on the adoption of an International Arms Trade Treaty are at a crucial time, Amnesty International published a report illustrating through the situation in 5 countries (Chad, Syria, Sri Lanka, Colombia, and Greece) the necessity of such an instrument to prevent deadly and irresponsible arms transfers.] A l'heure où les négociations internationales en vue de l'adoption d'un traité international sur le commerce des... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Amnesty International

35769

Libya,United States,Europe,France,Niger,Mali,Chad,Ukraine,China,North Africa

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

Austria,Central Africa,Angola,Burundi,Cameroon,Central African Republic,Chad,Congo (DRC),Congo (ROC),Equatorial Guinea,Gabon,Rwanda,Sao Tome & Principe

Regional Efforts to Combat Illicit Arms in Central Africa: Kinshasa Convention - UN

21 October 2011

African Press Organization (APO), Media release

NEW YORK -- The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations will organize tomorrow a special event entitled "Enhancing Small Arms Control In Central Africa — The Kinshasa Convention" at the Permanent Mission of Austria. This event will promote this new sub-regional instrument to control and fight the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Central Africa. In September 2011, all eleven... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: African Press Organization (APO)

35443

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

Zimbabwe,India,Algeria,Chad,Angola,Saudi Arabia,Colombia,Libya,South Africa,Swaziland,Cameroon,United Arab Emirates

South Africa Takes Fire for Gun Sales to Conflict Areas, Blacklisted Nations

1 July 2010

Christian Science Monitor

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa, which has been winning applause for its hosting of the 2010 World Cup, is now coming under fire for another success: global arms sales. According to the South African watch group, Ceasefire Campaign, South African arms merchants have sold $1.7 billion worth of weapons in the past decade to "problematic" countries that are either involved in internal conflicts or with poor human rights records. The arms sales would appear to be in violation... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Christian Science Monitor

32947

Somalia,United States,Israel,Chad,Panama,Bosnia & Herzegovina

Israeli Gun Dealer Indicted in US, Smuggling Bosnian AK-47s to Somalia

29 June 2010

Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv)

Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry sources adamantly denied yesterday that they were in any way involved in arms shipments to Somalia. Spokesmen for both ministries were responding to news of the arrest in the U.S. of Hanoch Miller, an Israeli arms merchant, for allegedly illegal arms sales to Somalia, forging documents, money laundering and violating the UN arms embargo on Somalia. A Defense Ministry spokesman said there is a ban on arms sales to Somalia and... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv)

32903

Nigeria,Chad

Four Female Gun Traffickers, Smugglers Hunted by Nigerian Police

10 June 2009

Daily Trust (Abuja)

Four suspected female arms dealers who belong to a syndicate that specialises in supplying arms to armed robbers in different parts of the country, especially in the North-east have been declared wanted by the Taraba State Police command. Taraba Police Commissioner, Aliyu Musa, who made this known to Daily Trust in Jalingo yesterday gave the names of the suspects as Awotu, Akudi, Abanyi and Akwen. He said all of them belong to the same family and hail from Wukari... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Daily Trust (Abuja)

30269

Nigeria,Chad

West African Gun Smuggling Route Was Run by a Woman from Chad

8 February 2009

Daily Trust (Abuja)

KANO, Nigeria — Last week, a hunter and crime buster, Ali Kwara, cracked down on a robbery gang that led to the arrest of a man who claimed to be a supplier of arms and ammunitions to robbers and ethno-religious warlords during crises. In this chat with Sunday Trust, Sarki Azetu, 31, gives shocking revelations. As a fisherman in a small village in Benue, Sarki Azetu was that dexterous with net, and according to him, his cast was also superb. But that, however, was... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Daily Trust (Abuja)

29160

Italy,Libya,Chad,Sudan,China

Libya Tried to Buy 1 Million Chinese Assault Rifles, Perhaps for Chad, Sudan

13 April 2008

Associated Press

PERUGIA, Italy — The Libyan officer tried to cloak the purpose of his call to the Italian arms dealer. "A friend," he said, wanted to buy 1 million "pieces" and 50 million items of "food." But when that phone call was placed in 2006, Italian police were listening. They knew the meaning. Libya was shopping for guns — lots of them. Authorities shadowed the negotiations between Libyan officials and a group of black-market dealers from across Italy for a year before... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Associated Press

26820

Sudan,China,Chad,Austria

Guns, Grenade Launchers in Chad, Darfur Traced Back to China, Austria

22 February 2008

Mother Jones (USA)

My first glimpse into the flow of small arms into Darfur began at 4:45 on a February morning in 2006. The lights were off in the first-class Sudan Airways lounge at Khartoum International Airport. Sitting to my left was Abdallah, resplendent in white robes, sporting spectacles and a sharply trimmed goatee. Back then, Abdallah's younger brother, Mahamat Nour, was the leader of an 8,000-man rebel force sworn to overthrow the government of Chad. The Sudanese government,... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Mother Jones (USA)

26202

Niger,Nigeria,Chad

Chad, Niger, Nigeria Address Global Scourge of Gun Trafficking

7 March 2007

IRIN (UN News) / Reuters

ABIDJAN — Five years after the end of rebel wars in Niger, the presence of small arms in that country and over the border In Nigeria and Chad, continues to threaten the welfare of millions of people. Freeing a former conflict zone of such weapons is the aim of a pilot project under way in southeastern Niger. However, to ensure long-term success, similar initiatives with a more regional focus may be needed. The destruction of 103 small arms handed in by people in... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: IRIN (UN News) / Reuters

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