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| Somalia's al-Shabab 'forced whole classes to fight' | Somalia's al-Shabab 'forced whole classes to fight' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Entire classrooms of Somali children - some as young as 10 - have been forced to fight for Islamist militants, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report says. | Entire classrooms of Somali children - some as young as 10 - have been forced to fight for Islamist militants, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report says. |
| An unprecedented number of children has been abducted over the past two years, HRW said. | |
| Boys are often sent to the frontline to serve as "cannon fodder" to protect adult fighters - and girls used as "wives" for al-Shabab fighters. | Boys are often sent to the frontline to serve as "cannon fodder" to protect adult fighters - and girls used as "wives" for al-Shabab fighters. |
| Al-Shabab controls many southern and central parts of Somalia. | Al-Shabab controls many southern and central parts of Somalia. |
| But forces allied to the UN-backed government last year pushed them out of the capital, Mogadishu. | But forces allied to the UN-backed government last year pushed them out of the capital, Mogadishu. |
| 'Nowhere is safe' | 'Nowhere is safe' |
| The use of child soldiers is not a new phenomenon in Somalia. | The use of child soldiers is not a new phenomenon in Somalia. |
| What is different, HRW said in a report released on Tuesday, is the scale and violence of the forcible recruitment by al-Shabab since 2010. | What is different, HRW said in a report released on Tuesday, is the scale and violence of the forcible recruitment by al-Shabab since 2010. |
| "Over the course of the last two years, al-Shabab has increasingly been forcibly abducting children - not only from their homes, but also from their schools and playing fields," HRW researcher Laetitia Bader told the BBC's Network Africa programme. | "Over the course of the last two years, al-Shabab has increasingly been forcibly abducting children - not only from their homes, but also from their schools and playing fields," HRW researcher Laetitia Bader told the BBC's Network Africa programme. |
| "Nowhere is safe for children in Somalia any more," she said. | "Nowhere is safe for children in Somalia any more," she said. |
| The report is based on more than 164 interviews with Somali children - including 21 who had escaped from al-Shabab forces, as well as parents and teachers who had fled to Kenya. | The report is based on more than 164 interviews with Somali children - including 21 who had escaped from al-Shabab forces, as well as parents and teachers who had fled to Kenya. |
| "Out of all my classmates - about 100 boys - only two of us escaped, the rest were killed," a 15-year-old boy told HRW. | "Out of all my classmates - about 100 boys - only two of us escaped, the rest were killed," a 15-year-old boy told HRW. |
| "The children were cleaned off. The children all died and the bigger soldiers ran away," he said of an incident that happened in 2010. | "The children were cleaned off. The children all died and the bigger soldiers ran away," he said of an incident that happened in 2010. |
| Training camps | Training camps |
| More than 70 children described to the New York-based group how entire classrooms were abducted from their schools and taken to al-Shabab training camps. | More than 70 children described to the New York-based group how entire classrooms were abducted from their schools and taken to al-Shabab training camps. |
| Most spent up to three months in training camps, where they were used as domestic workers and taught to use weapons, including AK-47s, and how to throw hand grenades. | Most spent up to three months in training camps, where they were used as domestic workers and taught to use weapons, including AK-47s, and how to throw hand grenades. |
| While in the camp, children were also subjected to abuse - and made to witness the assault and killing of people al-Shabab considered enemies. | While in the camp, children were also subjected to abuse - and made to witness the assault and killing of people al-Shabab considered enemies. |
| Other children interviewed talked of "bodies of children littering the battle-fronts", Ms Bader said. | Other children interviewed talked of "bodies of children littering the battle-fronts", Ms Bader said. |
| The majority of children being forced to join al-Shabab are between 14 and 17 years old, but some are as young as 10, she said. | The majority of children being forced to join al-Shabab are between 14 and 17 years old, but some are as young as 10, she said. |
| The Somali transitional government was also criticised for not doing enough to end the own use of child soldiers in its ranks and those of its allies. | The Somali transitional government was also criticised for not doing enough to end the own use of child soldiers in its ranks and those of its allies. |
| Analysts say al-Shabab's military position has been weakened by recent gains by African Union troops, and Kenyan and Ethiopian forces. | Analysts say al-Shabab's military position has been weakened by recent gains by African Union troops, and Kenyan and Ethiopian forces. |
| A major diplomatic push to restore stability in Somalia is underway - and the UK government is holding a conference in London on Thursday to try to find a political solution. | A major diplomatic push to restore stability in Somalia is underway - and the UK government is holding a conference in London on Thursday to try to find a political solution. |