Iraqi children being trained by terrorists

Iraq blog | 7th February 2008

The US military has released footage it claims shows children being trained as Al Qaeda terrorists. There have been reports of children being used as human shields in Iraq before but this is one of the first times we have seen any evidence that children may become directly involved in the insurgency. The video shows children wearing balaclavas, holding weapons and learning how to take hostages and storm buildings. In one particularly disturbing section children are shown making a mock announcement about the killing of a hostage.

Regardless of whether these videos are a reflection of a change in tactics or part of a propaganda campaign it is clear that Iraqi children are at extreme risk. With access to education and other basic services severely restricted it is hardly surprising that children (and their parents) are vulnerable to radicalisation.

Yet despite all the evidence that the social and psychological effects of war on children are creating a long term obstacle to the progress of peace in Iraq humanitarian funding is still extremely thin on the ground. But without investment from major funding bodies like the United Nations and European Union it remains almost impossible for the kind of projets Iraq children need to succeed.

This lack of funding has prompted us to start our own Iraq Appeal which aims to raise £1.5m for our work with Iraqi children over the coming years. This alone will not resolve the serious issues facing Iraqi children however. For that we will need internatational governments and decision makers to face up to the realities on the ground.

There's higher quality video (and some good analysis) on BBC News.

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