Syrian rebels are using children as young as 14 to serve as soldiers, guards and lookouts, a human rights group has found.
(Telegraph) Boys are being use to transport weapons, supplies and acting as lookouts in at least three opposition groups, whilst others are carrying guns and fighting, a report by Human Rights Watch said.
Children from the towns worst affected by the conflict have been trained to take part in the war according to Human Rights Watch. In one instance, three boys aged 16 said they had participated in attack missions, whilst two boys – aged 14 and 15 – had been sent on dangerous reconnaissance missions or smuggled weapons to opposition groups.
Majid, a 16-year-old boy from Khalidiya in Homs fought with a rebel group after he received "combat training".
"I used to carry a Kalashnikov," he said. "I used to shoot checkpoints … to capture [them] and take the weapons. They taught us how to shoot, how to dismantle and put together a weapon, how to target."
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