Abu Dhabi: The Joint Forces Command of the Arab Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen has returned a child to his family after he was recruited by the terrorist Houthi militia.
The coalition’s Child Protection Unit handed over the child to the legitimate Yemeni government, in the presence of the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Saudi Red Crescent and the Human Rights Commission.
He was among 146 former child soldiers who have been returned to their families after having participated in combat operations on the battlefield or taken up arms, in violation of international humanitarian law and children’s rights.
Al Houthis have inducted more than 18,000 child soldiers into their rebel army since the beginning of the war in 2014.
An unknown number of child soldiers have died..
More than 6,000 children have died or been maimed in Yemen since the beginning of the war, UNICEF reported in October.
