Child soldiers in Somalia

The use of child soldiers in Somalia has been an ongoing issue. In the battles for Mogadishu, all parties involved in the conflict such as the Union of Islamic Courts, the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism, and the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces recruited children for use in combat.^[1]

The TFG is listed by the United Nations (UN) as one of the greatest offenders in recruiting children into their armed forces. The militant rebel group al-Shabaab who are fighting to establish an Islamic state is another major recruiter of children.^[2]