By Mo’ayed al-Ashqar
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – Residents of Daraa Governorate in southern Syria face an increasing phenomenon of child soldiers. Groups affiliated with the Syrian government forces take advantage of the dire economic situation in the country to seduce and recruit children.
A report issued by the United Nations in 2023 indicated that despite the end of fighting in most parts of the country, child recruitment is on the rise.
“Your son is now one of us”
Ghneim, 46, a resident of Daraa living in the suburb area, recounts his experience while trying to save his 16-year old son from an armed group affiliated with a security branch of the government forces.
He says his son was like other children playing in the streets. Militants of an armed group affiliated with the government’s Military Security Branch, led by Mustafa al-Masalma, aka Kassem, persuaded him to go to their post. They enticed him with the allure of carrying weapons and posing for photographs with them.
Ghneim observed a troubling shift in his son’s behavior, particularly his frequent talk about various types of weapons and their usage. Concerned by this newfound interest, he felt compelled to closely monitor his son’s activities.
He says he had seen his son conversing with the militants and carrying weapons. When he tried to prevent his son from associating with them, they told him that his son approached them daily, asking to carry weapons. He also heard one of them sarcastically remarking, “Your son is a new member of our group.”
This situation frightened Ghneim, prompting him to prevent his son from leaving the house and playing in the neighborhood. Ultimately, he felt he had no choice but to send his son to the UAE, where his uncle lives.
Who is responsible?
Khaled, 48, a pseudonym for a resident of Daraa, revealed to North Press the alarming extent of this new phenomenon. “Government-affiliated armed groups are now widely recruiting children,” he adds.
“These children are used for guard duties and are lured with money and power. They are allowed to carry weapons in residential areas without being questioned,” says Khaled.
He points out that groups affiliated with the Military Security Branch are the primary recruiters of children, especially after many of their militants left the country due to fears of being targeted and assassinated.
Khaled further adds “Recruiting children is more convenient for group leaders because they can easily control them ideologically.”
Alarm bells
Fadwa al-Rayabi, a pseudonym for a child care worker in Daraa, highlights the new difficulties in dealing with children nowadays.
She says that she has been working in this field for more than twenty years, but before the war, things were much easier. Children grew up in a safe environment and were protected by their with families.
“Today, children who grew up in an atmosphere of war and guns need their awareness increased to eliminate the ideas that have rooted in their minds,” she notes.
Al-Rayabi points out that the family disintegration has become a major problem after the war, negatively affecting children who lose the sense of security.
She explains that “these conditions make children more susceptible to being drawn to armed groups, where they find a semblance of care and financial support, even if it means becoming involved in the conflict.”