Houthi Battlefronts Turn ‘Black Holes’ for Child Soldiers

Houthi militias in Yemen, according to local and international human rights organizations, have transformed battlefronts into “black holes” that devour children who have been recruited to serve as cannon fodder.

Local sources in Hajjah, al-Mahwit, Dhamar and Ibb governorates confirmed dozens of Yemeni children disappearing. They have been likely lured into Houthi training camp.

Activists in the Dhamar governorate said that during the past two weeks, citizens have reported the disappearance of more than 30 minors. The same has been reported in the Hajjah and al-Mahwit governorates.

Locals believe that Houthi lectures and sermons in schools and mosques have led hundreds of children to embrace the group's ideology and heed its call for death and fighting.

The Permanent Representative of Yemen to the United Nations Abdullah Ali Fadhel al-Saadi accused the militias of continuing to recruit children into their ranks, stressing that the number of child soldiers recruited by them is more than 30,000.

The accusation was made in a speech al-Saadi gave last week at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). He also called for a review of the mechanisms for monitoring and controlling violations against children in areas controlled by the Houthis.

He highlighted the importance of cooperation between the Yemeni government and UNICEF, especially in implementing the action plan designed to end and prevent the use of children in armed conflict signed between the government and the United Nations in 2014.

The Yemeni delegate commended the role played by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) in financing the Rehabilitation Center for Children in the Marib governorate, and called on UNICEF to establish other centers in the liberated areas. These centers would help rehabilitate children affected by the conflict and work on reintegrating them into society.

Source: https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2145311/houthi-battlefronts-turn-‘black-holes’-child-soldiers