KUNDUZ CITY (SW): The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) has expressed grim concerns over the rise in number of child recruits among the militants.
The AIHRC chapter in the north east of the country has said the militants have intensified their campaign to recruit more and more child soldiers all over the country, particularly in Baghlan and Kunduz provinces. Hayatullah Amiri, head of the AIHRC in the north east told Salam Watandar that the militants are luring children to the battle fields either by force or by other tricks. He also blamed the government for providing military training to young boys, and deploying them on war fronts.
We wished to obtain the views of local security officials in this regard but to no avail. Mehmood Haqmal, spokesman for the governor of Baghlan, without rejecting the AIHRC remarks, said that it is ensured that new recruits in the security forces do comply with the rules, regulations and norms of the country.
The AIHRC underlined that the militants brainwash young boys and later exploit their innocent emotions for terrorist acts. The Commission intends to issue a detailed report with facts and figures about child fighters among the militants in the north east of the country some time later.
Estimates by the AIHRC suggest some 250 children are being used as fighters/ soldiers in Afghanistan and 13 other countries in the world.
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