IS children, the lost generation
The misallocation of resources, social stigma and de facto administrative discrimination uphold obstacles to the reintegration of children in Iraq born under or recruited by the Islamic State.
A prominent Islamic State (IS) leader was killed March 29 by Saraya al-Salam Brigades, an Iraqi Shiite militia in Salahuddin province. According to the militia, he had been responsible for the recruitment of children for the terrorist group.
Besides its deployment of child soldiers, IS also used various techniques to indoctrinate children born and raised in the so-called caliphate. These techniques ranged from military training to the establishment of school curricula encouraging students to engage in violence.
Juveniles In Iraq allegedly involved with IS face harsh sentences. According to a recent Human Rights Watch report, an estimated 1,500 children are currently being held by the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government for alleged IS involvement.
Al-Monitor visited Tasfirat Prison in Tel Keif, a town north of Mosul. The facility is one of three detention centers holding IS suspects prior to their trial at the nearby Ninevah counterterrorism court.
