IS trained, brainwashed children in Manbij

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The so-called Islamic State (IS) recruited child soldiers in the liberated city of Manbij, according to those freed from the city.

Following the liberation of Manbij by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the people of the city revealed stories of IS insurgents recruiting and training children in special military camps.

Residents of the city said IS extremists were training children between the ages of 10 to 15-years-old.

The children were brainwashed then handed back over to their families where, in some cases, they spied over their families for IS.

Wisam, one of the residents in Manbij, told Kurdistan24 that families were afraid to speak to their children.

“The families of the brainwashed children did not dare to say a word against IS; if anything had been said the extremists would kidnap the father and mother,” he explained.

“IS were convincing the children in a devilish way, they brainwashed and deceived the children by words and sometimes with money,” Wisam told a Kurdistan24 reporter.

Since 2014, when IS took control of Manbij, all schools were shut down except three administrated by the insurgents to train what they called “the cubs of the caliphate.”

Ahmed, an 11-year-old Syrian child, who had attended the IS school for a short period, spoke to Kurdistan24 about his experiences.

“They were teaching us how to use weapons and throw grenades, and they frightened us by killing and beheading people in front of us,” he revealed.

The Kurdish-led SDF liberated the city of Manbaj from IS control after a 70-day-long coalition-backed offensive against the extremists.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany
(Ridwan Bezar from Manbij contributed to this report)