N.R. Jenzen-Jones ARES continues to conduct significant data collection and analysis pertaining to the illicit sale of arms and munitions via social media and communications platforms in conflict and post-conflict zones. From time to time, we will be featuring items of interest uncovered during our research, here on The Hoplite. In late July, ARES recorded
The ARES Team A series of images and a later video shared on a popular VKontake page in April and June 2016 depict a number of Russian armed forces personnel in Syria. These troops are pictured with a range of weapons, including a number of dedicated sniper rifles and anti-materiel rifles. The earlier images show
N.R. Jenzen-Jones US, Australian, and French naval forces operating in the northern Indian Ocean have seized thousands of small arms and light weapons in 2016, likely bound for Yemen. Whilst initial reports indicated the first two seizures were believed to be headed for Somalia, the types of weapons seized indicate that the vessels almost certainly
Yuri Lyamin with Kenton Fulmer & N.R. Jenzen-Jones The 9M113 Konkurs missile is increasingly commonplace in current and recent conflict zones, and represents a capable, long-range system for its age. In recent months, Konkurs systems have been employed by Houthi forces in Yemen, pro-government fighters and separatist forces in Ukraine, and various Syrian groups, including
The ARES Team Images and video of FSA-aligned Syrian rebel units fighting in the Aleppo area, shared on social media platforms, as well as images of weapons captured by Iraqi security forces during the advance to Fallujah, have shown the use of the Bulgarian Arsenal MSGL revolver-type grenade launcher by various groups in the region. In addition to the MSGL, Iraqi security
ImproGuns Images of the weapons used in the 8 June 2016 attack at the Sarona Market retail and food centre in Tel Aviv, which resulted in the deaths of four people, indicate that they were craft-produced submachine guns. Weapons of this type are locally nicknamed ‘Carlo pistols’ after the Swedish Carl Gustaf m/45, and the
The ARES Team An image shared via Twitter on 17 June shows a member claiming to be affiliated with the New Syrian Army (NSyA) or an allied group operating in Syria’s Aleppo governorate. The combatant in the picture is armed with a US-made Remington XM2010 sniper rifle, adopted by the US Army as the M2010. Previously,
The ARES Team Update 29/6/16: The image appears to be lightly distorted, however the steel magazine second from left in the top row, appears to be a Chinese 5.56 x 45 mm magazine. This may further support the possibility the weapon is an AK-101 (adopted in limited numbers elsewhere in Africa), however an AK-103 remains the most likely identification.
Graeme Rice & N.R. Jenzen-Jones ARES continues to conduct significant data collection and analysis pertaining to the illicit sale of arms and munitions via social media and communications platforms in conflict and post-conflict zones. From time to time, we will be featuring items of interest uncovered during our research, here on The Hoplite. This rare
Jonathan Ferguson A Nigerian newspaper website last week posted an article examining the ‘Niger Delta Avengers’ (NDA) a non-state armed group formed in early 2016 whose stated aims include the establishment of an independent state in the Niger Delta region. The NDA have been very active since their formation, striking a number of blows against oil distribution
