And in recent times the situation has become dire. The possession of a weapon is no longer a status symbol or a simple deterrent made necessary by the continuous intertribal struggles, but a necessity given by a situation of war and guerrilla that has persisted unceasingly since 2014.

After the guerrillas unleashed by the Houthi group, which, following unwelcome government maneuvers, occupied the capital for about 6 months, there was no longer peace in this wonderful country, torn apart by continuous conflicts and by the presence of Al Quaeda, who survived the killing of many of its leaders and subject of the many bombings that have disfigured the nation.

Buying a weapon in Yemen was and is extremely easy today, just go to the open-air markets that sell fewer and fewer dates and more and more Kalashnikovs and ammunition. The population is starving, but everyone has a weapon and a pocket full of bullets.

“The ammunition is of very low quality,” a boy armed with a Kalashnikov tells us. “They come from Egypt or other African countries, and you can’t tell which direction they take once they get out of the barrel.” From an elderly lady’s bag, oranges and a hand grenade roll to the ground.