The Hoplite

Small arms & light weapons traded via social media platforms in Libya

Armament Research Services (ARES) has produced significant original research examining the online trade in small arms and light weapons within Libya. The project outputs rely on a database, developed by ARES, which contains information about both groups and individual traders active on popular social media and communication platforms.The project will consist of two published reports, released under Small

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Minimi type light machine gun with pro-Assad group in Syria

Jonathan Ferguson Images posted to personal Facebook pages of members of the Syrian pro-government Suqur al-Sahara (‘Desert Falcons’) non-state armed group prominently feature fighters posing with the Belgian-made FN ‘Minimi’ 5.56 x 45 mm light machine gun (LMG). Suqur al-Sahara has been described as an “elite” formation, primarily consisting of former soldiers. The weapon in

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Ansar al-Sharia with RPG-32 rocket launcher in Yemen

Yuri Lyamin & B. Khab. with N.R. Jenzen-Jones On 27 March 2016, a video released by Ansar al-Shari’a (al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) shows their fighters clashing with Houthi forces in Taiz, Yemen. The fighting shown is believed to have taken place on 21 March 2016. The video begins with unmanned aerial vehicle footage of Sabir Mountain and part

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Differential identification of AK-12 and earlier Russian AK rifles

Jonathan Ferguson Note: The design of the AK-12 has since moved away from the more distinctive model described herein. The newer iteration is more conventional in design and appearance.  The Hoplite recently covered a distinctive personalised AK-74M self-loading rifle captured in Syria by Islamic State forces from a Russian special operator. The plethora of accessories fitted to the weapon

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Muzzleloaders in Modern War

Jonathan Ferguson Just as muzzle-loading firearms are symbols of faded Imperial glory to western Europeans, and of resistance and self-reliance to Americans, antiquated firearms remain important symbols to people in the Middle East. As well as turning out craft-produced Kalashnikov rifles, Makarov pistols, and more besides, there remains a strong market in the craft production of

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Russian MIB type multi-function munition captured by IS in Syria

N.R. Jenzen-Jones On 17 March 2016, the Islamic State displayed a range of equipment it claimed to have recovered from “a Russian military advisor” killed during fighting near Palmyra. The nature of the equipment recovered indicates that the fighter was likely a Russian special operations forces (SOF) EOD operator. Amongst the equipment recovered  was an MIB type

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Russian SOF equipment captured by IS in Syria

Islamic State (IS)-linked ‘news agency’ A’maq has reported on 17 March 2016, via their official account on the messaging app Telegram, on the killing of “a Russian military advisor” during skirmishes between the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and IS near Palmyra, in the Homs Governorate of Syria. A video shared by IS shows the deceased combatant alongside a selection of his

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Chinese Type 67 GPMGs in Syria & Yemen

Jonathan Ferguson & N.R. Jenzen-Jones ARES recently reported on the presence of the uncommon North Korean Type 73 general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. The Chinese Type 67 is another GPMG which is not commonly documented in conflict or post-conflict zones. Images posted to the personal Facebook pages of Syrian opposition fighters

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North Korean Type 73 GPMGs in Iraq, Syria & Yemen

Ali Richter Update 160328: Further evidence of the use of the Type 73 GPMG in Yemen can be seen here. The North Korean Type 73 GPMG has been previously documented in Iraq and Syria, and recently observed in Yemen. Images from Iraq show the Type 73 primarily in the hands of Iraqi Shi’a militias, particularly Badr Brigade

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Iran shows Toophan-3 anti-tank guided weapon at Baghdad arms expo

Galen Wright Iraq kicked off the 5th Defense, Security, & Aviation Fair in Baghdad this Sunday, with participating representatives from 108 countries, perhaps the most notable of which was Iran. According to a video issued by Iran’s state broadcasting company (IRIB), Tehran is now actively marketing a new top-attack version of its Toophan (‘typhoon’) anti-tank

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