Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Sana'a (Agenzia Fides) - In Yemen, the three main military groups which are currently active (pro-government Republican Guards and the Central Security, and the First Armoured Division of opposition), have among their ranks many children under 18 years of age. The exact number is not known but it is estimated to be around several thousand. In the northern governorate of Sa'dah, the center of the rebel movement al-Houthi, 50% of the pro-government fighters and gunmen of al-Houthi are minors. According to the UN, about 20% of the fighters of al-Houthi and 15% of the tribal militia affiliated with the government (Al-Jaysh Al-Sha'bi) are children.
The "list of shame" published in the Annual Report of the United Nations this year on child soldiers, which lists 57 armed groups around the world who recruit child soldiers or commit other abuses against young people, the al-Houthi rebels and the pro-government militaries in Yemen have been added. In Asian countries, boys are placed in the forefront while girls are often recruited after being forced to marry members of the military, are used to cook or provide for the needs of the military.
Observers of the organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) argue that the recruitment of children dates back to the early conflict between the Yemeni government and the Houthi-led Shia rebels in Sa'dah, in 2004. Several dozens of child soldiers died in the clashes. Last year 42 deaths and 55 injuries were reported, allegedly as a result of fighting between Al-Houthi and pro-government militias. Twenty-four were injured in a serious way because of explosive devices. This past April, a spokesman for UNICEF denounced the increasing number of deaths among children in Yemen, saying that from 18 February 2011 to April 19, 2011 the victims were 26. The Yemini law states that the army recruits must be of legal age, but the recruiters sometimes modify the identity documents of children to bypass the obstacle. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 07/23/2011)
