‘Worse’ than Child Soldiers? A Critical Analysis of Foreign Children in the Ranks of isil
In: International Criminal Law ReviewSearch for other papers by Francesca Capone in
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Even though many problems connected to child soldiering have been eventually explored and unpacked, it is undeniable that new issues keep surfacing in each context affected by this phenomenon. The current armed conflicts in Syria and Iraq appear to be shocking for several reasons, including the unprecedented presence of foreigners and the widespread recruitment and use of children by terrorist groups, in particular the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (isil). This article argues that whereas child soldiers affiliated with armed forces or groups are ‘traditionally’ seen as victims rather than perpetrators, foreign children in the ranks of terrorist groups like isil are first and foremost regarded as a threat to national and international security. This article will provide a critical overview of the most relevant aspects encompassing the existing legal framework, isil’s recruitment and use of foreign child soldiers, and the challenges connected to the design and implementation of meaningful reintegration processes.
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1
Romil Patel, ‘Isis Propaganda Video Shows 11-year-old Daesh Suicide Bomber Kissing Father Goodbye’, International Business Times, 20 February 2016, online at <www.ibtimes.co.uk/isis-propaganda-video-shows-11-year-old-daesh-suicide-bomber-kissing-father-goodbye-1545040>, accessed 10 July 2016.
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4
Security Council Resolution 2178 (2014), on threats to international peace and security caused by foreign terrorist fighters, (un/sc/res 2178), para. 4.
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12
Bakker and Singleton, supra note 7, p. 16.
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14
Benotman and Malik, supra note 9, p. 25. As the Report explains ‘[a] more accurate predecessor for the child recruitment practices of Islamic State can be found in the Ba’athist regime in Iraq […] the most important Iraqi child soldier units were the “Ashbal Saddam”, or Saddam’s Lion Cubs’.
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25
Drumbl, supra note 6, p. 140.
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33
Security Council Resolution 2178, supra note 4, para. 6(a).
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37
Drumbl, supra note 6, p. 143.
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51
Drumbl, supra note 6, p. 175.
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56
Drumbl, supra note 6, p. 176.
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66
Drumbl, supra note 6, p. 132.
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68
Benotman and Malik, supra note 9, p. 16.
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72
Byman and Shapiro, supra note 10, p. 12.
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73
Michael Day, ‘Fatima Az Zahra: Italy’s ‘Lady Jihad’ who joined Isis in Syria and then persuaded her family to follow on Skype’, The Independent, 2 July 2015, online at <www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/fatima-az-zahra-italys-lady-jihad-who-joined-isis-in-syria-and-then-persuaded-her-family-to-follow-10362165.html>, accessed 29 July 2016. Chris Johnston, ‘Missing uk family of 12 feel safe after joining Isis’, The Guardian, 5 July 2015, online at <www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/04/missing-uk-mannan-family-feel-safe-after-joining-isis-statement>, accessed 10 July 2016.
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82
Bloom et al., supra note 2, p. 31.
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83
Byman and Shapiro, supra note 10, p. 12.
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86
Benotman and Malik, supra note 9, p. 31.
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90
Europol, supra note 13, p. 7.
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91
Boutin et al., supra note 61, p. 24.
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‘Worse’ than Child Soldiers? A Critical Analysis of Foreign Children in the Ranks of isil
In: International Criminal Law ReviewSearch for other papers by Francesca Capone in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Even though many problems connected to child soldiering have been eventually explored and unpacked, it is undeniable that new issues keep surfacing in each context affected by this phenomenon. The current armed conflicts in Syria and Iraq appear to be shocking for several reasons, including the unprecedented presence of foreigners and the widespread recruitment and use of children by terrorist groups, in particular the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (isil). This article argues that whereas child soldiers affiliated with armed forces or groups are ‘traditionally’ seen as victims rather than perpetrators, foreign children in the ranks of terrorist groups like isil are first and foremost regarded as a threat to national and international security. This article will provide a critical overview of the most relevant aspects encompassing the existing legal framework, isil’s recruitment and use of foreign child soldiers, and the challenges connected to the design and implementation of meaningful reintegration processes.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 2566 | 206 | 19 |
| Full Text Views | 653 | 26 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 635 | 36 | 1 |