Taliban Recruiting Children In Afghanistan - 8,000 Child Soldiers, page 1

A US Commander said today that Taliban has been hit so hard recently that they have begun recruiting younger and younger fighters. UN said two days ago that there might be 8,000 child soldiers in Afghanistan.

U.S. General: Taliban Recruiting Children (AP)

Taliban-led rebels have been hit so hard recently that they are being forced to recruit children and their command structure has been fractured, a U.S. commander said Saturday, despite a recent surge in violence.

But he said the ranks of Taliban in some areas have been so devastated by heavy fighting that the rebels are forcing families "to give up one son to fight."

"They have been hit so hard they now have to recruit more fighters. They are recruiting younger and younger fighters: 14, 15 and 16 years-old," Kamiya said. "The enemy is having a hard time keeping its recruit rates up."

Kamiya's warning that children are being recruited into the Taliban comes two days after the United Nations said that most of an estimated 8,000 child soldiers in Afghanistan would have been demobilized and enrolled in education programs by the end of this year.

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A disturbing development but child soldiers are not a new phenomena. This is however the first time I've heard there might be as many as 8,000 child soldiers in Afghanistan. Disgusting! I guess the coalition forces will have to shoot these kids or get killed. What can we do about this?

[edit on 2006/4/28 by Hellmutt]