Recruiting Children to Fight in Syria Contradicts International Laws

 Children have been main victims of the ongoing crisis in Syria as foreign-backed armed terrorist groups in the country have recruited many children and repeatedly sent them to attack and kill innocent people and to help armed groups in their military operations.

 According to Human Rights Watch, several recruited teenagers had worked with terrorists in a number of Syrian cities and were forced to carry out criminal acts including beheading captives.

 The inhuman act of recruiting children in battles in Syria has become evident to all and has received condemnation by many regional and international bodies.

 With this mind,  the Russian Committee for Solidarity with Syria, which affirmed that armed terrorist groups in Syria are recruiting children within their groups and force them carry weapons to fight in battles against the Syrian Arab Army and state, strongly condemned this act, stressing that it contradicts international laws.

 In a statement recently published on its website, the committee said that the armed groups “use these children to torture and execute people kidnapped by the terrorists.”

 “These acts contradict international laws which prohibit mustering or recruiting children under fifteen in army or armed groups, said the Committee, pointing out that international laws consider using children in direct or indirect fighting, in spying activities as a crime.

 The Committee affirmed that the world should know the hostile practices of the “fake revolution” in Syria.

Rawaa Ghanam