Children tortured and used as fighters in Syria’s war

UN says hundreds of boys under 18 have been recruited to fight with groups including FSA, ISIL, Nusra Front and YPG.

There is growing evidence that children caught up in Syria’s war are being abused and used as fighters.

The UN says it has verified that 271 boys and seven girls have been recruited by armed groups, and that the real number is expected to be much higher. The groups enlisting minors to fight include Free Syrian Army brigades, the Kurdish YPG, ISIL and the Nusra Front.

The Syrian regime and militias supporting it are also arresting and torturing children.

Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid reports.

Source: Al Jazeera