Børn rekrutteres til at kæmpe islamisternes sag, og som i lignende konflikter, hvor børnesoldater optræder, placeres de i forreste geled ved konfrontationer.
BAMAKO, 17. January, 2013 (IRIN): Children are playing a major role in the Islamists’ war effort, say eye-witnesses and human rights groups, who report children are taking an active part in fighting, patrolling, scouting combat zones, and staffing checkpoints.
Oumar Diakité, a resident of Konna in Mopti Region, central Mali, which Islamist groups tried to capture on 11 January prompting intervention by French forces, told IRIN:
“Young children have been recruited. These children are sent on scouting missions to collect intelligence… And during clashes, they put these children – often just Koranic students – into the front line.”
Konna has still not been recaptured, according to French military sources.
Children have been seen staffing checkpoints in areas that came under aerial bombardment from French forces, according to a 15 January Human Rights Watch (HRW) communiqué.
Diakité told IRIN: “They [recruiters] make them believe that if they die they will go straight to paradise because they are defending God’s will. I know a woman who had her son in the ranks. Luckily we were able to find him and save him just in time.”
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http://irinnews.org/Report/97271/Children-engaged-in-Mali-fighting
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