Mali: Islamists, Free Child Soldiers!
Islamist armed groups in Mali (Ansar Dine, the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa, and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) should immediately end all recruitment, training, and use of child soldiers.
Witnesses who have seen conflicts between the Islamist groups and the Malian army said they saw children as young as 11 fighting, working checkpoints, doing foot patrols and riding in patrol vehicles, and standing guard with prisoners. France has been conducting an aerial assault to block these groups from going south, and many of these children have been near areas where this has been occurring.
The French and Malian armies, as well as the Islamist armed groups, should all do everything in their power to protect the lives of these children. Using child soldiers is a war crime. Please tell the International Criminal Court to investigate and make sure all child soldiers are freed!
Dear International Criminal Court,
As an institution that handles war crimes, it is critical that the conflict in Mali is investigated as child soldiers are being recruited, trained, and used in this conflict between the groups and the Malian army.
Islamist armed groups are doing this, including Ansar Dine, the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa, and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. France has also been conducting an aerial assault to stop these groups from moving south, and many witnesses have reported children in the areas affected. They have also seen them doing foot patrols and riding in patrol vehicles, standing guard with prisoners, fighting, and working checkpoints. Some are as young as 11.
Please make sure all child soldiers are freed.
Thank you for your time.
