Somalia: Story of al-Shabaab’s children soldiers
Since the incursion of the al-Shabaab insurgent group in southern and central Somalia in late 2007, many Somali children under the age of 18 - both boys and girls - have gone missing.
Under the guise of ‘recruiting’, the group has kidnapped these children to serve as fighters (and for other purposes) against its many opponents, including Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces, African Union peacekeeping forces (AMISOM), Ethiopian troops and Kenyan Defense Forces.
As a result of their forced participation in combat between al-Shabaab and their enemies, many children have been killed or severely injured, including some who are permanently maimed or disabled.
The insurgent militia of al-Shabaab has long found children an easy source of fighters to supplement its ranks, particularly in the face of its ongoing losses owing to its long history of combat in the region.