An Islamist group operating in Mozambique's northern Cabo Delgado province reportedly used boys as young as 13 in attacks on a town last week. Residents who were forced to flee the fighting recognized some of the child soldiers as their missing relatives, according to advocacy group Human Rights Watch.
The group, known as Al-Shabab and affiliated with the Islamic State, has been accused of kidnapping children and using them as soldiers in the region since 2017. Witnesses reported seeing dozens of child soldiers carrying AK-style assault rifles and ammunition belts during the recent attacks.
Two individuals identified their 13-year-old nephew among the child soldiers, with one witness expressing disbelief at how quickly the boy had become involved in the conflict after going missing earlier in the year.
The attacks in the town of Macomia resulted in at least 10 casualties, mostly soldiers, and forced around 700 residents to seek refuge in nearby forests. The insurgents looted shops and warehouses for food before engaging in a firefight with Mozambican and South African forces.
Recruiting children under the age of 15 as soldiers is considered a war crime under international law. The recent incidents in Mozambique highlight the ongoing challenges faced by the region, where conflict has displaced over a million people since 2017.
In a separate development, a nonprofit organization investigating environmental crimes alleged that millions of tons of timber had been illegally exported from Cabo Delgado to China since 2017. The profits from these activities were reportedly used to finance the insurgency in the region.
Efforts to address the insurgency have seen the deployment of regional troops, including soldiers from South Africa and Rwanda. However, a recent announcement indicated that troops were beginning to withdraw from their positions ahead of a July deadline.
The conflict in Cabo Delgado poses a significant threat to the region, with thousands of lives lost and a $20 billion natural gas project at risk. The situation remains fluid as efforts continue to address the root causes of the violence and protect the civilian population.
