Security forces checking people for weapons at checkpoints is a standard practice across the world. However, in Yemen, a similar practice has left social media users baffled.
A purported video, now viral on social media, shows Yemeni officials at a checkpoint searching people for weapons, even as the people being searched are seen carrying guns themselves.
Sharing the video on X, a user wrote, “The security checkpoints in Yemen hit different. What the hell are they checking for?!?! Definitely not weapons 😂”
HT couldn’t independently verify the authenticity of the video.
Another user, who commented on the video, was seen asking Grok, “What do you think they’re checking for?”
Responding to the query, the AI model suggested that the officials could be searching for hidden explosives or suicide vests rather than firearms. It claimed that in Yemen, particularly in Houthi-controlled areas such as Sana’a’s Saba’in Square, carrying firearms is a common practice, which could explain why the people at the checkpoint appear to be carrying guns even as they are being searched.
{{/usCountry}}Responding to the query, the AI model suggested that the officials could be searching for hidden explosives or suicide vests rather than firearms. It claimed that in Yemen, particularly in Houthi-controlled areas such as Sana’a’s Saba’in Square, carrying firearms is a common practice, which could explain why the people at the checkpoint appear to be carrying guns even as they are being searched.
{{/usCountry}}“Explosives and suicide vests. In Yemen (especially Houthi areas like Sana’a’s Saba’in Square), personal AKs are everyday cultural carry. Checkpoints ignore the rifles and focus on hidden bombs that could turn a crowd into a disaster," it said.
Responding to another query about whether someone carrying a fully loaded AK-47 could cause just as much damage, Grok said that firearms and explosives pose different types of threats in a crowded setting.
“An AK can kill plenty in a crowd, but a suicide vest detonates instantly with blast plus shrapnel across a wide radius before anyone can react or return fire. Guns need sustained aiming and leave the shooter exposed—especially when half the attendees already carry their own rifles. Explosives are the stealthier, higher-yield threat at packed rallies like this,” Grok replied.
One user jokingly remarked that officials were “looking for Bibles.” Another user said, “Good to see! Maybe checking for US representatives?”
One user attempted to explain the “cultural and social” context behind the presence of firearms in Yemen. The user claimed that many tribal members carry guns not for “fun”, but because of the turbulent environment they live in.
“I think it's more about finding hidden explosive devices or explosive belts. You also have to consider the cultural and social context there. Many tribal leaders and members carry guns not just for fun, but because they find themselves in a turbulent environment,” the user wrote.
“Weapons like the AKs seen in the video are nothing unusual there, even if they seem that way to us in the West at first glance,” the comment added.