Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Somalia's Use of Child Soldiers

The use of child soldiers in Somalia is widespread. In the ongoing conflict, children are used for a wide variety of reasons. It is estimated that over 200,000 Somali children have carried a gun or have been involved in a factional conflict at some point in their lives. It is not rare to see boys as young as 14 in a militia attack or accompanying older soldiers.

The UN has continuously noted the presence of teenagers carrying weapons riding with other armed men in aircraft or other vehicles. It is estimated that five percent of all of Somalia’s children have participated in marauding gangs, militia attacks, or other military conflicts. In the bodies of power that reside in Somalia, there are no limitations on army recruitment age. Child soldiers are also routinely used as suicide bombers and mine detectors, as the country’s land is laced with dozens of unknown bombs waiting to explode and take the lives of innocent civilians away.
Me Against My Brother At War in Somalia Sudan and Rwanda

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