{"id":13522,"date":"2021-05-25T07:00:45","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T04:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stj-sy.org\/sna-controlling-child-recruitment-is-difficult\/"},"modified":"2021-07-16T04:46:37","modified_gmt":"2021-07-16T01:46:37","slug":"sna-controlling-child-recruitment-is-difficult","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stj-sy.org\/en\/sna-controlling-child-recruitment-is-difficult\/","title":{"rendered":"SNA: \u201cControlling Child Recruitment is Difficult\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) verified that factions operating under the opposition\u2019s Syrian National Army (SNA) have been recruiting children among their ranks. Field researchers with STJ obtained information and testimonies confirming that at least 20 minors are currently commissioned within the ranks of the SNA. When our researchers interviewed faction commanders, they claimed it is difficult to control child recruitment despite difficult steps taken to end the practice.<\/p>\n

Several of the recruited minors were deployed on the front lines during Operation Peace Spring. Others were trained in military camps across Azaz and Afrin and are still carrying out the tasks they were assigned despite the SNA\u2019s decision to demobilize all child soldiers.<\/p>\n

The United Nation\u2019s April 2021 report<\/a> on children and armed conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, covering the period from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2020, determined that at least 1,306 boys and 117 girls were recruited by military groups across Syria. 98% of the children served in combat roles. 394 of the children were recruited by groups affiliated with the SNA.<\/p>\n

On 19 May 2020, the Ministry of Defense\u2014General Staff of the Syrian Interim Government (SIG)\u2014 made a statement banning the recruitment or voluntary conscription of children under 18 years old within the SNA. Additionally, the statement provided for the immediate discharge of the children already enlisted. The United Nations Secretary General has taken note<\/a> of the command and invited the SNA \u201cto engage with the United Nations for the purpose of developing and implementing an action plan to halt and prevent child recruitment and use by all groups and factions under its umbrella.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Image 1- Copy of the statement made by the SIG\u2019s Ministry of Defense regarding the ban on child recruitment<\/p>\n

STJ has been covering child recruitment by all parties to the Syrian conflict, including by armed opposition groups. Consequently, this briefing complements two previous exhaustive reports STJ published in May 2020\u2014 on minors recruited by the SNA<\/a> and sent to fight in Libya\u2014 and in March 2021\u2014 on minors stuck in Libya<\/a> and denied return to Syria, many of whom are still performing military tasks.<\/p>\n

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  1. \n

    \u201cControlling Child Recruitment is Difficult\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Field researchers with STJ reached out to \u00a0command-level military sources to obtain details about the implementation of the ban on child recruitment. The two sources, from two separate SNA-affiliated factions, said that minors continue to be enlisted into the ranks of the SNA despite the direct orders to end the practice and discharge commissioned children. The sources added that several faction commanders did not adhere to orders and insisted on enlisting children, relying on means and mechanisms which allow them to circumvent the general system by which the SNA operates.<\/p>\n

    While the two sources noted that child recruitment decreased significantly after the ban and noted that several restrictions have been instituted to obstruct new recruitments since May 2020, they added it is difficult to monitor and control the actions of smaller military groups spread \u00a0throughout towns and villages.<\/p>\n

    The first source, a commander in Afrin region, commented on the number of child recruits within SNA factions and the purposes of similar recruitments. He told STJ:<\/p>\n

    \u201cI do not deny that there are under-18 children within the formations of the factions. Yes, there are children. However, this small percentage has been enlisted by divisions and sub-groups in villages and towns seeking to increase their manpower. These young recruits are not sent to training camps, or to active fronts. They are mobilized to checkpoints within villages or commissioned as guards to military headquarters. The number of children present in camps is extremely small. When children are sent to camps it is the division\u2019s commander that must be held accountable for trying to increase the number of his recruits.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The second source, a commander in Turkey, addressed the tough measures the SNA put into effect to end child recruitment. He told STJ:<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe recruitment of under-18 children was completely stopped, particularly after we entered the region in 2020. Turkey has even refused to pay the salaries of any under-18 persons registered with the [army] and refused to enlist any new recruits. However, some field commanders have been enlisting children using fake identity documents (ID). For example, some commanders use the ID of a child\u2019s older brother to add his name to the payroll. [For proof], these commanders even provide a falsified copy of the ID and complete personal data.. The SNA and the Turkish commands do not audit every recruit\u2019s case separately.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The source added:<\/p>\n

    \u201cThese child recruitments are a random phenomenon. Such enlistments are carried out by individual field commanders because they operate across various areas and act independently when it comes to their recruits \u2014 not to mention that the divisions are fragmented. We cannot entirely control the phenomenon because there are no institutions, government, decisive regulations, or censorship.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Furthermore, the source said:<\/p>\n

    \u201cI do not deny that there are child recruits and that they participated in battles. Most of these incidents happened after Operation Euphrates Shield. However, as the SNA command, we immediately address any violations we are informed of.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 2. The Children Still Commissioned within SNA Ranks<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    Field researchers with STJ obtained detailed information on three cases of child recruitment. These children were enlisted at an early age and remain under 18 years old. Moreover, all three children continue to perform the military tasks assigned within the Sultan Murad Division and Suleiman Shah Brigade (also known as al-Amshat). The field researchers compiled the information from fighters within the two groups.<\/p>\n

    A fighter of the Sultan Murad Division confirmed that there were 21 children under the age of 18 at the Abdul Qader Saleh Military Training Camp\u2014 located in Sajo border village, near Azaz city in the northern countryside of Aleppo\u2014 in March and May 2020. After the training, these minors were deployed to various areas, including Tell Abyad and Ras al-Ayn\/Ser\u00ea Kaniy\u00ea. The fighter said that minor combatants are paid a salary between 400 and 500 Turkish Liras (TL) and they are not treated based on their age. Instead, they are assigned tasks and duties similar to those performed by adult combatants.<\/p>\n

    Three minor recruits profiled:<\/strong><\/h5>\n