NAIROBI, 21 March 2011 (IRIN): With the escalation of fighting across Somalia since January, armed groups have reportedly recruited more child soldiers to their ranks, some even forcing teachers to enlist pupils.
In a recent offensive against rebel groups in Bulo Hawo town on the border with Kenya, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stated on 17 March, “…children were involved as fighters and a significant number of them were killed. According to reports, intense fighting in the area between Dhusamareb and Ceel bur in Galgadud has also resulted in many child casualties.”
– The TFG [Transitional Federal Government] forces, their allies, the Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama, and Al-Shabab are all engaged in the recruitment. Al-Shabab [the largest armed opposition group] is the biggest culprit (synder), said an official working with an NGO that monitors the state of children in the country.
The official, who asked not to be named, did not suggest the African Union’s TFG-supporting military mission in Somalia, AMISOM, was also using children.
He said although the exact number of child soldiers was unknown, his group suspected between 2.000 and 3.000 children were in different armed groups.
He added that Al-Shabab was forcing Koranic and other teachers to bring their charges (børn og unge i deres varetægt) to be trained. – We have noticed a major increase in the recruitment of children since January 2011. It coincided with the current escalation of fighting in Mogadishu and parts of south and central Somalia, noted he.
– Putting children in the line of fire, killing and maiming (lemlæste) them in the context of an armed conflict are among the most serious violations of international law which all parties to the conflict are expected to uphold. The use and recruitment of children under the age of 15 years is a war crime, said UNICEF Representative to Somalia, Rozanne Chorlton.
The TFG denied it recruited children into its forces. – This government, as a policy, does not recruit nor does it encourage the recruitment of children into the military, government spokesman, Abdi Haji Gobdon, told IRIN.
He said that whenever an underage child was found among government forces they were immediately released and sent back to their families. Gobdon invited anyone or any group interested “to go to any government military facility and see for themselves”.
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