Military committee cancels old gun licenses in Yemen

Yemen\'s military committee announced the cancellation of all old gun licenses In order to restore stability and boost security in Yemen\'s main cities, as well as to implement the terms of the Gulf Initiative,  Yemen\'s military committee announced on Sunday the cancellation of all old gun licenses.
The committee, formed under a power transfer deal brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)  and backed by Western countries, urged all who hold old gun permits, to make their way to the Interior Ministry to obtain new permits or renew previous ones.
Protection forces, security systems and checkpoints \"will not accept any previous gun permits unless they are renewed and approved by the Interior Ministry according to the new laws\", it said in a statement.
The committee also urged citizens to help prevent armed groups from forming and to avoid carrying weapons in the capital and other main cities.
The new plans, approved during a Sunday meeting. aim to remove the  root causes of tensions and boost security and stability.  
Since it was formed, the committee has made strides to remove barricades and checkpoints inside main cities including military positions which were set up when the popular uprising escalated last year.
Forces both pro and against the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have been replaced with protection forces.
The spread of firearms is one of the most complicated security challenges in Yemen, as owning and carrying  arms is considered a common tradition in the country. Recent statistics reveal there are about 5 million firearms owned by Yemeni citizens, this number includes medium and heavy weapons owned primarily by tribes.