Last week, a large convoy of Houthi fighters was seen on the Red Sea coast of Yemen. This included a large number of Toyota Hilux pickups. Many vehicles were equipped with machine guns and rocket launchers. These vehicles, which were generally used for carrying goods and for everyday work, looked like the vehicles used in war. The use of Hilux in war is not new. For almost 45 years, this vehicle has been seen among rebels and terrorists in different conflicts of the world. Its robust construction, ability to move on rough terrain and the facility to mount weapons in the open rear make it useful for such groups. From ISIS in Iraq to the Houthis in Yemen and various armed groups in Africa, many organizations have used Toyota pickups. Why do terrorists love Toyota Hilux so much? A major reason for the use of Hilux among fighters and terrorist organizations is its strength and ability to move easily on bad roads. This vehicle can also operate in such areas which are difficult for normal vehicles to reach. It proves useful especially in desert and rough roads. An experiment was also conducted in the BBC program ‘Top Gear’ to test the strength of the Hilux. In this, the vehicle was hit by a tree, immersed in sea water for several hours, dropped from a height and pressed under heavy weight. Apart from this, it was hit by the building and it was also set on fire. Even after all this it could be run again. Repairing vehicles like Hilux is also considered relatively easy. Due to their popularity among the common people all over the world, their spare parts are also easily available. Pickups are made ‘technical’ by installing weapons. The rear portion of pickups like Toyota Hilux is open. Machine guns and other weapons can be installed in it. After being equipped with weapons, such vehicles are generally called ‘technical’. These vehicles are light and can run even on bad roads. Therefore, armed groups have been using them in fighting. This is not a vehicle made by any one terrorist organization. Many factions have used common pickups with weapons in different wars. The name ‘Technical’ came from Somalia The name ‘Technical’ for armed pickups became more popular in Somalia in the early 1990s. At that time, aid agencies paid local armed groups to protect their staff and goods. This was called ‘Technical Assistance’. Later, pickup vehicles equipped with weapons came to be called ‘technicals’. After this, this name started being used in other war-torn areas also. The fighting style changed in the ‘Toyota War’ of 1987. The most famous example of the use of Toyota pickup is the Chad-Libya war of 1987. Later it was called ‘Toyota War’. At that time Libya had heavy weapons like tanks, fighter planes and helicopters. Whereas Chad did not have such large military resources. France had given about 400 Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser to Chad. These were also accompanied by anti-tank and anti-air missiles. The biggest strength of these vehicles was their speed and ability to move in the desert. They could move from one place to another faster than heavy tanks and could change direction quickly. Chad’s fighters took advantage of this. They would quickly circle around the slower Libyan tanks, attack and get away. With French air support, Chad achieved several major victories against Libya. This war showed that fast and strong pickup vehicles could also give a big advantage in the fight against heavy military vehicles. Hilux became the choice of fighters from Africa to West Asia. After the ‘Toyota War’, other combat groups also understood the usefulness of such pickup vehicles. Gradually, vehicles like Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser started appearing in many conflict-torn areas of Africa and West Asia. Due to their strength, ability to travel long distances and ease of movement on bad roads, these vehicles proved to be especially useful in war-torn areas. This is the reason why Toyota pickup vehicles have often been seen in the pictures and videos of organizations like Taliban, Al-Qaeda and later ISIS. In this way, Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser were not just vehicles for common use, but also became a distinct identity among the fighters in many war-torn areas. Later this conflict was called ‘Toyota War’. This war showed that heavy weapons and big tanks alone are not decisive in any battle. Fast and strong pickup vehicles can also give a big advantage in difficult terrain. Toyota pickup reached from Africa to West Asia. After the ‘Toyota War’, other fighting groups also understood the utility of such pickup vehicles. Gradually, vehicles like Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser started appearing in many conflict-torn areas of Africa and West Asia. Toyota pickup vehicles have also been seen in photographs and videos of organizations like Taliban, Al-Qaeda and later IS. That means Hilux and Land Cruiser are no longer just vehicles for general use. In many war-torn areas they became part of the identity of fighters and guerrilla groups. How do so many Toyotas reach terrorists? The question is, when Toyota refuses to sell vehicles directly to terrorists or insurgents, how do they end up with such a large number of Hilux and Land Cruisers? During the rapid spread of IS in 2015, US counter-terrorism officials had sought answers from Toyota in this regard. They wanted to know how the terrorist organization was acquiring such a large number of new Hilux and Land Cruisers. Toyota had said that its policy does not allow selling vehicles to potential buyers who may use them in paramilitary or terrorist activities. But it is difficult to track the entire journey of a vehicle after it is sold from the showroom. Old vehicles can pass through many hands through theft, through middlemen or through informal buying and selling. For this reason, it can be difficult for the manufacturer of a vehicle to find out to whom his vehicle has reached after some time. Questions were raised on the increase in sales in Iraq. According to Toyota data, sales of Hilux and Land Cruiser in Iraq increased from about 6,000 in 2011 to 18,000 in 2013. In 2014 this number was around 13,000. This was the same period when IS launched a major attack from Syria into Iraq and its control reached the outskirts of Baghdad. However, the increase in sales does not prove that these vehicles directly reached IS. But it did raise the question as to who bought such a large number of vehicles before the conflict and where did they go afterwards. One such case came to light regarding the Ford pickup of an American plumber. His vehicle was later seen in use by IS fighters in Syria. The special thing was that the name and phone number of the plumber was also written on the door of the car. How the Hilux reached the Houthis is not yet known. The same question is raised about the Hilux seen with the Houthi fighters on the Red Sea coast of Yemen. Clear information about how they acquired these vehicles has not been revealed. It is not known whether they bought them as old vehicles, acquired them through middlemen, imported them from other countries or took them into their possession through some other means.
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