In this article a Yemeni writer looks at some of the general trends in Kalashnikov-patterned rifles within Yemen, going over serval models and some of the intricacies that exist within them. Note that although prices are given in US Dollars, the majority of the market uses Yemeni or Saudi Rials for payment.
Before 2015 the majority of our AKs were of Russians, Polish, Hungarian, Chinese, and Bulgarian origin. But in 2015 the Houthis invaded the coastal city of Aden and at that time an Arab coalition was created to support the southern resistance. When this fighting began
From the Arab alliance, the Saudis and United Arab Emirates forces supplied the southern resistance with airdrops.
These are Bulgarian Arsenal, Inc rifles, specifically 5.56x45mm AR-M9F. In Arabic they are referred to as Arsenal/ارسنال. Prices for these rifles can range up to 1500 US Dollars.
A number of Chinese 56-1 rifles are available but note that the obscuration of some factory markings. These ones with the scrubbed serial numbers are 750-800 dollars on the market. These are known as صيني مخدد (Seeney Mathad) in Arabic.
A Chinese Factory 26 Type 56 rifle, most likely supplied to West Coast front Fighters.
Some Romanian Model 63 rifles came in via airdrop supplies but they have since stopped and now the Emirates are arming fighters directly. First they trained as group of southern immigrants who were in Saudi Arabia and sent them to Aden. Some of these supplies consisted of Romanian.
AKS74U rifles are known by two variants. A single pin or two-pinned trunnion. The one-pin is called a جفري مسمار/Jaferi-nail, and the two-pin جفري مسمارين/Jaferi-nails(plural). The name Jaferi is somewhat confusing as it is attributed to a Yemeni politician, As-Sayyid Abd Al-Rahman Ali Al-Jifri who was active in the early 1990s, but some have attributed it to the sixth Shi’a Imam, Ja’far al-Sadiq. According to sources on the ground, this is incorrect. Prices for an original two-pin AKS74U can reach 5,600 US Dollars while the single pin is 500-700 Dollars less (up to 5,000 US). There are many odd configurations of improvised and converted Kalashnikov-patterned rifles that have been made to look very similar in appearance to an AKS74U. These are less than a thousand dollars.
An example of a single pin Krinkov in Yemen.
AR-SF carbines are known as مؤتمر/ Muatamur.
Zastava M92s are known as صربي/ Sawrbey and prices range from 850-700 US Dollars.
Polish Kbk-variants are known as حمدي/Hamadi, reportedly after Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim al-Hamadi who overthrew President Abdul Rahman al-Iryani in 1974.
German ak with side folder الماني كراع / German Karey. These range from 1,200-1,700 US Dollars.
AMD65 rifles are known as إسرائيلي/Israeli, with prices between 350-550 US dollars.
Steyr AUG rifles are called نمساوي /Namsawei with prices ranging from 650 to 800 US Dollars.
The majority of G3 rifles in the Yemeni conflict are produced by Saudi Arabia’s Military Industries Corporation. They are known simply as “G3” in Arabic (۳ج), with the exception of those outfitted with telescoping stocks which are known as سحاب هندي (Sahab- Hindey). Prices range from 600-750 US Dollars.
A pretty rare spot- the Zastava M91 DMR with Southern Resistance forces in Aden.
