The Exploitation Of Children In The Jihad In Syria

by R. Green


The tragic events in Syria have not spared the country's children, many of whom have been killed, orphaned, forced to flee with their families or deprived of basic needs. Another tragic aspect of the civil war is the use of children in fighting and in the propaganda of armed groups.

In recent months there has been a surge in evidence pointing to the active participation of children in the fighting in Syria. In several cases, child-fighters have been killed in action. There is also documentation of boys that came from abroad to fight in Syria, or were brought along by their fathers who joined armed groups.

This trend is accompanied by an increased use of children in the propaganda of jihadi groups. Children appear in many non-official videos singing praise for a certain group or chanting slogans glorifying jihad and violence. Social media websites are replete with pictures and videos of children brandishing weapons. The following is a compilation of some of the evidence pointing to children's involvement in the fighting. Although this phenomenon is by no means limited to a specific group, this report will focus on the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jabhat Al-Nusra.




R. Green

Source: http://www.memrijttm.org/

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