The majority of conflicts today, particularly internal conflicts, are fought with light weapons. By one account, of the all the wars being fought at the beginning of 1995, light weapons were the main equipment used in all 49. In 46 they were the only equipment. In modern warfare it is invariably the civilian populations that suffer. However, these weapons pose a number of problems for control problems for those seeking to establish tighter controls over their movements.
Light weapons are the weapons of choice for combatants and criminals alike for a number of reasons.
They are cheap, durable and robust, with few moving parts and little need for spares, and they can be assembled and transported by a child a young as ten. Lightweight and easy to conceal, these weapons are also extremely attractive to smugglers, thus regions of conflict provide fertile ground for illicit weapons trafficking. For former combatants, without access to peaceful and sustainable livelihoods, weapons become a form of currency. In order to survive, they may use them for banditry or trade them in the civilian market for other goods. Once a conflict ends, it is often extremely difficult for authorities to regain control of weapons that have flooded the country.