Children’s Council: Families of 150 Children Fighting with the Militia Captured in Recent Khartoum Battles
Al-Ahdath – Agencies
The Secretary-General of the National Council for Child Welfare, Dr. Abdel Qader Abdullah, announced the capture of 150 children who were fighting alongside the Rapid Support Forces militia during recent battles in the capital, while the total number of children captured in states engulfed by war is 1,200. These children are currently held in child protection centers managed by the army.
In a statement to Fiveminute, he mentioned that these children would be rehabilitated in coordination with UNICEF, the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent, and then returned to their families.
He added that the Rapid Support Forces continue to recruit children, despite this being illegal under both national and international laws. They lure them with money to recruitment camps in Khartoum, Kordofan, Sennar, and Darfur, with 8,000 children currently enlisted in the militia.
He also highlighted that children are forced to drive vehicles during battles, with their legs chained to the pedals to prevent escape, resulting in significant child casualties during combat. He called on international organizations to criminalize this behavior, as it constitutes a clear violation of children’s
