Yemeni human rights activist uncovers Iran’s plan to support Houthi recruitment of child soldiers
Houthi abuses against children continue in many areas of Yemen, as terrorist militia recruitment of children continues, with Iranian plans to exploit education activities to push children to hate and violence, and onward to the front lines.
Child recruitment offenses
The Yemeni government warned against harnessing the support of the Houthi militia, as provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in cases of child recruitment, following the announcement by UNICEF of its intention to provide printers to the Ministry of Education, which is under the control of the militia.
The government confirmed that the mission of the organization’s office in Yemen is to work to protect children from various threats, the most dangerous of which is the activities of the militia and its methods, which glorify the idea of carrying arms with children and calling them to go to battle fronts so that the organization is not diverted from the goals for which it was established. Human rights reports also revealed that the Houthi militia exploited the support provided by United Nations organizations in its sectarian project and the destruction of the structure of Yemeni society, in addition to supporting battlefronts.
Iranian plans
Dr. Ahmed Jabbari, a Yemeni analyst and human rights activist, said, “The Houthi terrorist plans aim to recruit the largest possible number of children for the benefit of these terrorist groups, in order to plant destructive and terrorist ideas to carry out expansion plans in the region. The aim is to have a generation carrying out a terrorist plan in Yemen and the region.”
The terrorist group’s plans include exploiting humanitarian aid by providing it or preventing families from obtaining it on the basis of children’s participation in al-Houthi’s activities, he said, adding that al-Houthi is targeting summer camps and cultural courses to recruit and encourage people to fight on several terrorist fronts in several areas of Yemen.
Large-scale international action is needed to stop Houthi’s crimes against children and the massive recruitment of children to carry out the Iranian scheme in Yemen and the region, he said.
