[11/09/2019 04:18]

GENEVA-SABA
Yemeni activists in Geneva have called upon the international community to move it to force Houthis to quit recruiting children into the ranks of the armed rebel militia fighting for years.

Arwa al-Khatabi a Yemeni woman activist told a seminar held on the sideline of the UN Human Rights Council's 42nd session the militia induct children into the frontlines against cash or in-kind rewards for influential tribal chieftains who arrange their conscription.

She said the Iran-aligned Houthis have enlisted 18,000 children in their ranks since the beginning of the conflict in September 2014 and many of them have been killed and injured since then.

She required the international community to force the Houthis to " unconditionally stop recruiting children" to conflicts and religious radicalization courses that turn them into fearless killers.

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