Child soldiers used by “all factions”

A new global survey on child soldiers said that all factions in Somalia had used child soldiers, with some faction leaders recruiting children as young as 10 years old. The inter-NGO Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers said in its “Global Report on Child Soldiers 2001”, released on Tuesday, that “no functioning national government” had been able to ratify treaties on the use of child soldiers. “The use of child soldiers, including some as young as 10, is widespread by all forces involved in the conflict.” The report said the UN independent expert on Somalia had reported that children under the age of 15 are recruited by the militias, and some faction leaders recruit children as young as 10 years of age to serve as personal bodyguards. The US State Department continues to report that “boys as young as 14 or 15 year of age have participated in militia attacks, and many youths are members of the marauding gangs known as “morian” or “parasites” or “maggots”, the report said.