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| Afghanistan |
| Concerns Raised Over Increase In Child Soldiers |
| 2016-08-20 |
| Public concern is mounting over the rising number of teenage and child soldiers joining the ranks of public uprising groups in Badakhshan province. Numerous children under the age of 15 have confirmed this and said they have participated in many battles. Muhibullah is one such fighter, who at the age of 15, says he has been fighting alongside public uprising soldiers against insurgents for the past year. He said he has fought many battles in Bharak district of Badakhshan province. "Taliban hate the local police a lot and if they catch any of them they will behead them or cut off their hands or feet," Muhibullah said. Muhibullah said that he has lost many friends during battles. He said he fights insurgents but does not get paid to do it. "I want peace and security for my country – it's not important for me if there is a salary or not," Muhibullah said. One of the public uprising commanders Pahlawan Agha said that the child and teenage fighters join their ranks on their own accord. "We never recruit any one by force or by threating; at the moment those who are fighting in the Taliban ranks all are teenagers," said Agha. Meanwhile, Badakhshan MPs have condemned the practice but have called on responsible institutions to take action to prevent children and teenagers from getting caught up in the war. "The recruitment of children in military ranks is against the child rights agreement that Afghanistan signed in 1995 ... and the government is responsible to implement all articles of the agreement," said Badakhshan MP Fawzia Kofi. Badakhshan police said that they will take action against this practice if they find evidence. "We are trying - if we find such children and teenagers anywhere we will separate them from the ranks and will hand them to their families," said Badakhshan police security chief Mohammad Nabi Bayan. Video report at the link |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #6 sad, but good, movie, Skid |
| Posted by: Frank G 2016-08-20 20:06 |
| #5 "Beasts of No Nation" and its not PC to bomb little puppies. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2016-08-20 19:55 |
| #4 p2K, I'm afraid you may be wrong. Child soldiers are a popular approach to recruiting low cost/high dedication (albeit crappy training) fighters. Drug them up, use adults to give direction, and if necessary tie them to you by forcing them to join in executions (in Liberia they were sometimes required to kill family members). They do ok as cannon fodder, and are hell on morale for regular army opponents. I distinguish teenage from child soldiers, BTW. |
| Posted by: james 2016-08-20 19:35 |
| #3 "Well, Jenkins, you're fairly a sailor now, You've been aloft, you've lead a landing party, you've been drunk. Now get your hands out of your pockets or I'll have the sail maker sow them shut!" RN Captain to 13 year old. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2016-08-20 17:36 |
| #2 Unless you're talking about drummers and powder-monkeys. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2016-08-20 14:36 |
| #1 Old men and kids are usually the last reserve of those losing. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2016-08-20 09:14 |