SOHR calls upon Autonomous Administration and SDF to comply with Geneva Convention prohibiting child recruitment

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights appeals to the “Autonomous Administration in northern and north-eastern Syria” and Syria Democratic Forces to comply with Geneva Conventions, which they signed, regarding the prohibition of recruiting or using children in armed conflicts. During phone calls between SOHR and officials in the Autonomous Administration, the officials have revealed that there are children under the age of 18 resort to the Autonomous Administration after escaping from their houses. We, at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, call for sending these children to childcare centers instead of sending them to centers affiliated to SDF, Shabibah (Youth Council), the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), or the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ).

On July 1, Observatory sources said that SDF “military police” resumed their campaigns for drafting young people to military service in areas under the control of Syria Democratic Forces. SOHR activists have monitored broad deployment of “military police” in Al-Darbasiyah, Tal Tamr and other areas in eastern Euphrates region, along with arresting several people driving them to mandatory service. These campaigns came after three months of suspension under a decree by the Autonomous Administration.