Boko Haram Release Shocking Images Of Child Soldier Training Camp

A media group associated with the Nigerian militant group, Boko Haram has published images which reveal a military training camp for children in north-eastern Nigeria. The organisation, al-Urwa al-Wuthaqa, shows the children dressed in dark clothing with their heads covered by garments. In one photo, the children are aiming their guns while in another they are posing with the weapons.
The Long War Journal claims that both young girls and boys are present in the photos, while some are holding AK47 assault rifles, others are holding cutouts of weapons.

According to Max Abrahms, professor of political science at Northwestern University and member at the Council of Foreign Relations, Boko Haram uses child soldiers in order to boost its membership numbers.

“Terrorist organisations have power in numbers. The more members in the group, the greater its capability. There is a correlation between the membership size of a terrorist group and its ability to inflict bloodshed, Terrorist groups will often try to amass the most members as possible even if they’re young boys or girls.”

Andrew Noakes, coordinator of the Nigeria Security Network, says the group are struggling to recruit fighters, having “started alienating local people across northeast Nigeria with their brutal tactics”. “To fill the gap they've turned to recruiting children and recruiting in neighbouring countries. Boko Haram often uses its child soldiers and other forced recruits to form the first wave of an attack, before sending in the more experienced fighters to finish off operations.” he says.

Source: NewsWeek.com