• News
  • Articles
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • Campaigns
    • Stand4Uyghurs
    • In Their Shoes
  • Prayer
  • Members
  • Donate
  • More
    • About Us
    • Advertise Your Business
    • Contact
    • Jobs
    • Submit an Article
    • Subscribe
    • Write
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube WhatsApp Telegram
Islam21c
  • News
  • Articles
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • Campaigns
    • Stand4Uyghurs
    • In Their Shoes
  • Prayer
  • Members
  • Donate
  • More
    • About Us
    • Advertise Your Business
    • Contact
    • Jobs
    • Submit an Article
    • Subscribe
    • Write
0 Shopping Cart
Islam21c
Home»News»Iran sending Afghan child refugees to fight for Assad in Syria

Iran sending Afghan child refugees to fight for Assad in Syria

News 03/10/2017No Comments3 Mins ReadBy Hamad Momin

Human Rights Watch have reported that Iran’s “Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps” (IRGC), has been recruiting and sending child refugees from Afghanistan living in Iran to fight in Syria in support of Bashar al-Assad.

Children as young as the age of 14 years have engaged in fighting in support of the Syrian regime. An example of this is in the division of Fatemiyoun, which is an entire Afghan Shia militia backed by Iran. The group fights according to Iranian officer commands and is equipped, trained and funded by the IRGC. [1] The group also has a staggering 12 – 14,000 fighters, according to a previous deputy commander. [2] Under International Criminal Law, enlisting or conscripting children under the age of 15 to partake in conflict is a war crime. [3]

The report arises at a time when the Syrian regime with the aerial support of Russian warplanes is bombarding Idlib. Human Rights Watch researchers stated that 8 children had been recruited to fight in Syria. The organisation presented pictures of tombstones of Afghan children who had been killed fighting in Syria. The tombstones were found in Iranian cemeteries where they had been buried by the Iranian authorities.

Iran has reportedly been enlisting and training thousands of Afghan refugees and immigrants since 2013. The Iranian regime has been advocating and encouraging Afghans to fight under the pretext of “protecting Shia sites” and in return offering to provide financial incentives as well as legal residence. [4] By doing so, the Iranian authorities are encouraging poor Afghans to join pro-Syrian militias by exploiting them in promising them a better life in return.


  • Helps complete development and release our brand new website where all the above happens
  • Helps run National Khutbah days with 100s of Imams reaching 100,000s on Jummah highlighting social issues
  • Helps produce Unscripted podcast shows with global influential figures tackling todays challenges
  • Helps produce Unscripted podcast shows with global influential scholars and activists tackling today's challenges
  • Helps research featured articles by leading scholars/activists offering guidance and solutions
  • Helps write NewsViews articles setting our narrative to major breaking stories
  • By proceeding, you will be added to the Islam21c mailing list. Your data is safe with us and will be protected in accordance with our data protection policy.
  • £ 0.00
  • per month
  • NOTE: Donating Zakat? Please proceed to our Zakat applicable emergency appeal here.
  • Donation Top Up

    Are you trying to increase your Rizq? Did you know by increasing your donation right now, Allah promises to give you back MUCH MORE
  • Helps write NewsViews articles setting our narrative to major breaking stories
  • Helps research featured articles by leading scholars/activists offering guidance and solutions
  • Helps produce Unscripted podcast shows with global influential scholars and activists tackling today's challenges
  • Helps produce Unscripted podcast shows with global influential figures tackling todays challenges
  • Helps run National Khutbah days with 100s of Imams reaching 100,000s on Jummah highlighting social issues
  • Helps complete development and release our brand new website where all the above happens


The emergencies director at the Human Rights Watch, Peter Bouckaert stated that:

“Iran has not just offered Afghan refugees and migrants incentives to fight in Syria, but several said they were threatened with deportation back to Afghanistan unless they did.” [5]

Iran claims that the Afghan refugees and migrants have volunteered to fight in Syria. However, some argue that their weak legal status in Iran and the constant fear of being deported to their poverty stricken, war-torn country puts a question mark on their decision to participate in the Syrian conflict.

[donationbanner]


Source: www.islam21c.com

Notes:

[1] Human Rights Watch. (2017). Iran: Afghan Children Recruited to Fight in Syria. [online] Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/10/01/iran-afghan-children-recruited-fight-syria [Accessed 3 Oct. 2017].

[2] Tasnim. (2017). [online] Available at: https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1395/03/29/1107833/تشکیلات-فعلی-فاطمیون-ابتدا-یک-هیئت-خانگی-بود-تعدادی-از-افغان-ها-از-اروپا-به-فاطمیون-آمدند-و-شهید-شدند [Accessed 3 Oct. 2017].

[3] https://www.child-soldiers.org/international-standards

[4] Middle East Eye. (2017). Afghan children as young as 14 recruited by Iran to fight in Syria, says HRW. [online] Available at: http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/afghan-children-recruited-iran-fight-syria-says-rights-group-330844122 [Accessed 3 Oct. 2017].

[5] Human Rights Watch. (2017). Iran Sending Thousands of Afghans to Fight in Syria. [online] Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/01/29/iran-sending-thousands-afghans-fight-syria  [Accessed 3 Oct. 2017].

AFGHANISTAN ASSAD BASHAR IRAN NV1439 SYRIA
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Telegram WhatsApp
Previous Article#Idlibisburning, but tell me lies, sweet little lies
Next Article Lawyers on the Day of Judgement

Related Posts

Turkey-Syria earthquakes: 4 steps YOU must take NOW

07/02/2023

2,300+ dead and 3,000+ injured in Türkiye-Syria twin quakes

06/02/2023

Former Pakistani president Musharraf dies aged 79

05/02/2023

This is why 🇬🇧 £1 is currently 🇵🇰 Rs. 333!

03/02/2023

Canadian lawmakers vote to accept 10,000 Uyghurs

02/02/2023

Professor Lukman Thalib returns to Australia as son released on bail

29/01/2023
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Hamad Momin
Islam21c
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Telegram
© 2023 Islam21c.com | All rights reserved

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

close-link
.