Armed terrorist groups in Burkina Faso are increasingly recruiting children, including those as young as 10, to replenish their ranks after suffering heavy losses in military operations, according to government-linked sources.
The Burkina Information Agency (AIB) reported that the minors are being used for various roles, including surveillance, intelligence gathering, communication and, in some cases, direct combat.
The development comes as the country’s Defence and Security Forces (FDS), alongside the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP), intensify operations against armed groups and inflict significant casualties on their fighters.
With their ranks depleted, the groups are reportedly seeking new recruits, with vulnerable children becoming a growing target. The Al-Qaeda-linked Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM) was particularly identified by the Burkinabe agency as being involved in the recruitment strategy.
According to AIB, recruitment methods range from deception to outright coercion, with armed groups exploiting the poverty, vulnerability and precarious circumstances of children and their families.
Once recruited, the minors reportedly undergo rapid training before being deployed in different capacities. Some are assigned as lookouts, informers, spies or radio operators, while others are reportedly sent to the battlefield.
The agency said several children between the ages of 10 and 14 were discovered during military operations that led to the dismantling of terrorist bases.
Some of the rescued minors reportedly gave accounts of violence and abandonment, with AIB alleging that armed groups sometimes abandon children when they come under pressure or are pursued by government forces.
The recruitment and use of children in armed conflict constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law and exposes minors to grave risks of death, injury, abuse and long-term psychological trauma.
AIB urged parents and communities to remain vigilant and take steps to protect children from recruitment attempts by armed groups, particularly in areas affected by insurgency and insecurity.
