Syria is World’s Worst Country in Recruiting, Using Children in Armed Conflict

 A girl died in a Russian raid that targeted a house in al-Jdayde city in July 2022. (DPA)
A girl died in a Russian raid that targeted a house in al-Jdayde city in July 2022. (DPA)
TT
20

Syria is World’s Worst Country in Recruiting, Using Children in Armed Conflict

 A girl died in a Russian raid that targeted a house in al-Jdayde city in July 2022. (DPA)
A girl died in a Russian raid that targeted a house in al-Jdayde city in July 2022. (DPA)

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) commented on a report by the UN Secretary-General on children, considering it a main source of information for violations against children in Syria through cooperation and partnership with the UNICEF’s Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM).

The UN report said Syria is reportedly the worst in the world in terms of recruiting and using children.

The Syrian regime and its allies topped the list of violations related to killing and maiming, while the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) came second.

The National Army led the armed opposition factions in recruiting children, followed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and the SDF came third.

In June, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres submitted his annual report to the UN Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict in 2021.

The report underlined the trends regarding the impact of armed conflict on children and information on violations committed in several countries, including Syria.

It specified those engaged in the violations against children, namely the recruitment and use of children, the killing and maiming of children, rape and other forms of sexual violence against children, attacks on schools, hospitals and protected persons in relation to schools and/or hospitals, and the abduction of children.

The UN verified 2,271 grave violations against 2,202 children (1,824 boys, 235 girls, 143 sex unknown). In addition, 74 grave violations against 73 children (58 boys, 14 girls, 1 sex unknown) that occurred in previous years were verified in 2021.

In the report, it is noted that attacks or threats of attacks on community and civic leaders, on human rights defenders and on monitors of violations against children are a cause for concern and a strain on the monitoring capacity.

While Guterres’s report used the term “pro-government air forces,” the SNHR said it believes it would have been better to specifically identify the Russian forces, being the only ally of the Syrian regime with aerial capabilities.

The UN verified the recruitment and use of 1,296 children (1,258 boys, 38 girls), Most of who were used in combat, specifically 1,285 children.

The SNHR noted that this figure is higher than that recorded in Guterres’s previous report, which documented the recruitment and use of 837 children in Syria in 2020.

Monday’s report indicated that all Syrian opposition factions (the Syrian National Army) were responsible for the largest number of cases involving recruitment and use of children in this period, with 596 cases, followed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham with 380.

The SDF came third by recruiting and using 245 children.



UN Chief Says Forcing Palestinians to Move Away Is against International Law

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivers a statement about the ongoing humanitarian situation and fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, New York, USA, 08 April 2025. (EPA)
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivers a statement about the ongoing humanitarian situation and fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, New York, USA, 08 April 2025. (EPA)
TT
20

UN Chief Says Forcing Palestinians to Move Away Is against International Law

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivers a statement about the ongoing humanitarian situation and fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, New York, USA, 08 April 2025. (EPA)
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivers a statement about the ongoing humanitarian situation and fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, New York, USA, 08 April 2025. (EPA)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said that it would be against international law for Palestinians to be forced to be moved away, responding to questions about a US push to take control of the Gaza Strip.

"To be forced to be moved away is something that is against international law," Guterres told a press briefing. "Palestinians must be able to live in a Palestinian state side by side with an Israeli state. That is the only solution that can bring peace to the Middle East."

Guterres also rejected a new Israeli proposal to control aid deliveries in Gaza, saying it risks "further controlling and callously limiting aid down to the last calorie and grain of flour."

"Let me be clear: We will not participate in any arrangement that does not fully respect the humanitarian principles: humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality," Guterres told reporters.

No aid has been delivered to the Palestinian enclave of some 2.1 million people since March 2. Israel has said it would not allow the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza until Palestinian militants Hamas release all remaining hostages.

COGAT, the Israeli military agency that coordinates aid, last week met with UN agencies and international aid groups and said it proposed "a structured monitoring and aid entry mechanism" for Gaza.

"The mechanism is designed to support aid organizations, enhance oversight and accountability, and ensure that assistance reaches the civilian population in need, rather than being diverted and stolen by Hamas," COGAT posted on X on Sunday.

Jonathan Whittall, the senior UN aid official for Gaza and the West Bank, said last week that there was no evidence of aid being diverted.

Israel last month resumed its bombardment of Gaza after a two-month truce and sent troops back into the enclave.

"Gaza is a killing field – and civilians are in an endless death loop," said Guterres as he again called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, a permanent ceasefire, and full humanitarian access in Gaza.

"With crossing points into Gaza shut and aid blockaded, security is in shambles and our capacity to deliver has been strangled," he said.

"As the occupying power, Israel has unequivocal obligations under international law – including international humanitarian law and international human rights law," Guterres said.

That means Israel should facilitate relief programs and ensure food, medical care, hygiene and public-health standards in Gaza, he said. "None of that is happening today," he added.

Israel says it does not exercise effective control over Gaza and therefore is not an occupying power.

The war in Gaza was triggered on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 people in southern Israel, and took some 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health authorities.