Washington, July 20, (V7N) – A growing illegal trade in sophisticated Western weapons is reportedly being conducted via social media platforms, particularly WhatsApp and X (formerly Twitter), with all related accounts operated from Yemen. The arms dealers, allegedly linked to the Houthi group, are using these platforms to market and sell advanced weaponry, according to an investigation by the Washington-based Tech Transparency Project (TTP).

The TTP report reveals that advertisements for rifles, grenade launchers, Polish-made AK-47s, and American military-grade weapons are being posted on social media, where interested buyers are directed to WhatsApp numbers for transactions. Many of the weapons being sold are believed to be part of the arsenal abandoned by U.S. forces during their withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, which then found their way to Yemen via the black market.

Researchers identified 130 accounts on X promoting arms sales. Among them, 109 were explicitly linked to Yemen, while the rest were confirmed to be based there through phone codes, post metadata, and WhatsApp links. More than half of these were located in the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa.

The report highlights that 61 percent of these accounts were created after billionaire Elon Musk acquired the X platform. Notably, 35 accounts advertised weapons originating from the United States and other Western nations.

Many of the accounts used for these sales are registered as business accounts and actively utilize paid advertising and premium platform features—an apparent violation of platform rules. Both Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, and X have strict policies against the trading of weapons, yet the platforms are now under scrutiny for failing to enforce them.

The TTP report has sparked global criticism over the platforms’ inability to prevent the use of their services for international arms trafficking. Both companies have yet to issue official statements regarding the allegations.

Source: Tech Transparency Project (TTP)

END/RH/AJ