MESOP : PKK/PYD (YPG) STILL USING CHILD SOLDIERS (HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT) – GERMAN NGO SUPPORTING YPG LIKE MEDICO INTERNATIONAL REMAIN SILENT !

HRW: Kurdish Forces Continue to Use Child Soldiers in Syria / Reports of youths dying in combat in June

Basnews | Luke Coleman – 15.07.2015 –  NEW YORK – Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday released a report claiming that the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) in northern Syria continue to employ underage fighters in the war against Islamic State. In June last year the Kurds signed an agreement to end the use of child soldiers, but have since failed to comply with the terms. In total 149 youths were taken out of active service in the first month. HRW is now presenting evidence from local sources that boys and girls under the age of 18 have been killed in action last month.

As part of the agreement, the YPG insisted that it would continue to recruit 17 and 18 year-olds into “non-combatant” roles, far from the front line. International law forbids the recruitment of soldiers under the age of 15, and the YPG is accused of allowing 10 children under this age to join up in the last year.The YPG and YPJ have been active in demobilising underage soldiers, however. Since April 27 boys and 16 girls have been stood down, and internal memos warn officers of “maximum disciplinary measure” should they recruit children. Three officers have been expelled from the force, and four demoted for violating this order. “The YPG promised to stop sending children to war and it should carry out its promise,” said Fred Abrahams, special adviser at Human Rights Watch. “Of course the Kurdish forces are fighting groups like ISIS that flout the laws of war, but that’s no excuse to tolerate abuses by its own forces.”