Mozambique: Child Soldiers Used in Islamist Attacks

Human Rights Watch has condemned the use of child soldiers by the Islamist group Al-Shabab in Mozambique, with reports of boys as young as 13 being deployed in recent attacks. The group has been accused of kidnapping children and forcing them into combat, a grave violation of international law.

The Islamist group Al-Shabab, affiliated with the Islamic State, has come under fire for utilizing child soldiers in its insurgency in Mozambique's northern Cabo Delgado province. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has documented the use of dozens of young boys, some as young as 13, in attacks on the town of Macomia last week.

Witnesses reported that the child soldiers carried AK-style assault rifles and ammunition belts, with some recognizable as missing relatives by residents who had been forced to flee the fighting. One resident recounted seeing his 13-year-old nephew among the attackers, who waved at him but remained obedient to older fighters.

The recent attacks, which began on Friday and continued into the following day, left at least 10 people dead, mostly soldiers, and forced approximately 700 residents to seek refuge in nearby forests. Al-Shabab fighters looted shops and warehouses for food and engaged in firefights with Mozambican and South African troops before retreating.

Al-Shabab has a history of abducting children and using them as soldiers in its insurgency, which began in 2017. The United Nations has previously condemned this practice, which violates international law. In February, the International Criminal Court granted reparations to thousands of victims of a Ugandan rebel group that included former child soldiers.

The surge in attacks by insurgents in March resulted in the disappearance of at least 70 children, according to local authorities and aid agencies. The conflict in Cabo Delgado has forced over a million people to flee their homes since it began, killing thousands and threatening a $20 billion natural gas project in the area.

In addition to the use of child soldiers, a recent investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has alleged that millions of tons of timber have been illegally exported from Cabo Delgado to China since 2017, providing funds for the insurgency. The EIA claims that Chinese traders purchase "conflict timber" from insurgents, despite Mozambique's log export ban.

South Africa has deployed troops to Cabo Delgado as part of a regional force to combat the insurgency. However, regional troops have announced their withdrawal ahead of a July deadline, leaving concerns about the continued threat posed by Al-Shabab. Rwanda is expected to maintain a presence under a separate bilateral agreement with Mozambique.

Aid agencies have highlighted the devastating impact of the conflict on the local population, with over a million people displaced and thousands killed. The insurgency poses a serious threat to stability and development in the region.