Somalia's child solders - very recent report

[Dhagax-Tuur]

Depressing tale.

 

Children carrying guns for a US ally, Somalia.

[Maaddeey]

Awil Salah Osman prowls the streets of this shattered city, looking like so many other boys, with ripped-up clothes, thin limbs and eyes eager for attention and affection.

 

But Awil is different in two notable ways: he is shouldering a fully automatic, fully loaded Kalashnikov assault rifle; and he is working for a military that is substantially armed and financed by the United States.

 

“You!” he shouts at a driver trying to sneak past his checkpoint, his cherubic face turning violently angry.

 

“You know what I’m doing here!” He shakes his gun menacingly. “Stop your car!”

 

The driver halts immediately. In Somalia, lives are lost quickly, and few want to take their chances with a moody 12-year-old.

Mohamed Adan Ugas, left, a 12-year-old, and Ahmed Hassan, 15, work for the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.

[Malika]

^Any different to the kids fighting for Al-Shabaab?

 

Tragic!

[nuune]

^ yes, this one wears cimaamad

[Maaddeey]

^This One is older, in a rebel movement, not assisted by USA and Western Governments and,,,and,,,,and.. ma wadaa??

[Jacaylbaro]

And why the guy standing behind the child in the above picture doing ??? ,,,

[Maaddeey]

Waxaan illoobay: 'Ilmaha TFG-da markey ilko cagaaranyihiin oo sigaarka kugu soo afuufayaan, kuwa Shabaabka, iyagoo cadayanaya ayay: Asalaamu Calaykum kugu salaamayaan, inta badan kan heganka ku jira maahane kuwa kale waxay akhristaan ama dhegeystaan Quraan, meesha ay deganyihiin waxa ka shidan Quran ama wacdi kale halkan kuwa TFG-da music, fuxshi & dhac ku caan bexeen!'.

 

See what I found in another article by the same newslet:

According to Somali officials, there was fierce fighting on Saturday between police officers and army soldiers — all working for Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government — in one of Mogadishu’s relatively quiet neighborhoods, Hamar Jajab. At least seven were killed, although it is not clear what started the conflict.

 

Some residents said army soldiers had been robbing cars, and when police officers intervened, a mini-war between the heavily armed men on each side broke out. Other residents said that the police had been trying to hijack trucks carrying desperately needed food aid when the army came to the rescue.

 

The neighborhood’s chairman, Abdi Baasid Mohamoud, described the fighting as an accident. He said that a group of soldiers had been chasing thieves through the streets and firing at them, and that police officers became confused and mistakenly shot at the soldiers instead of the thieves. “Some government soldiers chasing thieves clashed with other soldiers,” Mr. Abdi Baasid said.

 

At least seven people were killed, he said, though local news reports indicated that more than 10 people had died, including several civilians.

 

The transitional government has been teetering on the edge of collapse for years. Despite a large injection of Western aid, including American money for weapons and soldiers, security is still elusive, and lately the government has had difficulties controlling its own troops. Government soldiers frequently clash with one another, undermining the effort to fight against radical Islamist insurgents who rule much of the country.

[Malika]

^Waa same shiidh,amaa sii waad ama iska daa. :mad: , at both side they use kids to fight their battles - kids that dont know any better raised by adults that dont know any better..maxaa lagaa sugeyaa!

 

Who fund's Al-Shabaab?..Someone must do,koleybaa iyaguu 'economy' uu gaar mahayaan,nagaa daa dee!

[Maaddeey]

^You don't get it, do you?, Dawlad & rebel group miyaad isku mid ka dhigaysaa?, every rebel group in the world have child soldiers, plus Shabab & their donors don't think 15 yrs old as children, sharciyo ay ku protectgareeyaan ama uga soo horjeedaan Ilmo Askar laga dhigona ma sameysan, Dawlad isku sheegga maxaa ku qasbaya iney ciyaal Askar ka dhigtaan?.

[Malika]

^LOL..You did miss the part that, USA and Somalia are the only two countries that didnt sign the UN - children's right convension?

 

waa sidaa aan kuyirii labadaa baa wax baa ismaa damaan..either their dawlaan isku sheeg ama they are a rebel group..

 

actually thanks for agreeing that Al-Shabaab is a rebel group,rather then the usual - revolutionary nac nac tittle..

[Saalax]

such a shame indeed may god help those kids forced to be part of a pointless never-ending wars.

[Maaddeey]

^Rebel & Revolutionary waa synonymous! Yaa Malika bint Kaahinah.

[Hales]

These kids fighting for the TFG do it at their own will whereas the Alshabaab kids are at the very least persuaded or at the worst case Abducted. But you do have some Kids who join Alshabaab through choice.

[BiLaaL]

The use of child-soldiers is un-Islamic. Anything between 70-75% of Al-Shabab fighters are said to be children, with a large proportion of them below 15 years old. This is yet another example of Al-Shabab ignoring clear Islamic injunctions when it suits them to do so.

 

Al-Shabab increasingly acts in ways contrary to an Islamic movement which draws its principles from Islam. Other Islamic movements, such as Hamas in Palestine, have realized Islam's prohibition on this issue and have adopted measures to ensure that children are not recruited into their military units.

[N.O.R.F]

Is Maaddeey actually trying to rationalise AS' use of child soldiers?

 

Aduunyo!