UNICEF: 2,100 child soldiers recruited in Yemen

Some 2,122 children have been recruited as soldiers during the three-year conflict in Yemen, a UNICEF reported revealed yesterday.

UNICEF Resident Representative in Yemen, Meritxell Relano, wrote on Twitter: “In Yemen 2122 children recruitments verified so far.”

In 1999, the first resolution on children and armed conflict adopted by the UN Security Council condemned six grave violations affecting children: recruitment and use of children during conflict is one of them. In #Yemen 2122 children recruitments verified so far.

— Meritxell Relaño (@RelanoMeritxell) December 27, 2017

She added in the thread: “And I am sure that the one for 2017 is going to be appalling when it comes to children killed, maimed, and recruited in #Yemen. What a horrible year for children in this beautiful country….”

Though the official did not mention who the children were recruited by, previous UNICEF reports have highlighted that the Houthis have used child soldiers.

Impoverished Yemen has remained in a state of civil war since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sana’a.

Read: 1,000 days of Saudi war on Yemen, backed by the UK

In 2015, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a massive air campaign aimed at reversing Houthi military gains and shoring up Yemen’s embattled government.

According to UN officials, more than 10,000 people have been killed in the war, while more than 11 per cent of the country’s population has been displaced.