Amnesty Int. Reveals War Crimes Impact on Somali Children

Posted July 21st, 2011 at 12:25 am (UTC-5)
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Amnesty International says the systematic recruitment of child soldiers, many of them under the age of 15, is escalating in Somalia.

In a report released Wednesday, the rights group says Somali children risk death all the time.

It says children recruited as soldiers are injured and killed, and those separated from parents are forced to make it on their own, under the threat of attacks by al-Shabab militants.

The Amnesty report says most child soldiers are recruited by al-Shabab. It says the militant group lures children into becoming soldiers with the promise of money and phones. Amnesty says the group raids and destroys schools and even abducts children in plain view.

Amnesty also accuses Somalia's Transitional Federal Government of using, killing and maiming children in armed conflict.

It is urging the international community to expand specific protection measures for the rising number of Somali children separated from their families and increase psychological support and education programs for Somali children.