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Houthis recruit 23,000 children, deprive over 4m of education

October 15, 2018



The children are trained to use light, medium and heavy weapons and then deployed on battlefronts. — File photo
The children are trained to use light, medium and heavy weapons and then deployed on battlefronts. — File photo

Aden — The Houthi militias’ military recruitment of children has increased after many of their members were killed and many others refuse to fight on behalf of Iran.

The Houthis have so far recruited more than 23,000 children in a stark violation of international agreements and laws that protect children’s rights. Of those, 2,500 children have been recruited since the beginning of 2018.

The children are trained to use light, medium and heavy weapons and then deployed on battlefronts.

The Houthis thus deprive them of education after pressuring their parents and guardians to send the children to battlefields.

The Houthi militias have also pushed more than two million children to work as a result of war.

More than 4.5 million children have been deprived of education. In the past two years 1.6 million children could not enroll in schools.

The Houthis have also shelled and partially or completely destroyed 2,372 schools and used more than 1,500 other schools as prisons and military barracks.

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has rehabilitated several Yemeni children who were recruited by the Houthis and involved in the fighting.

The center is working with the Yemeni Wethaq Foundation for Civil Orientation to implement a program being carried out by a team of doctors, psychologists, social workers and educators to help the children recover.

According to Wethaq, 161 children have been rehabilitated so far. — Agencies


October 15, 2018
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