Afghan leaders condemn Taliban for recruiting teens

Afghan leaders and officials have expressed concern over recent reports of Taliban recruiting teenagers to fight the security forces in Kunduz and Badakhshan provinces.

Abdul Malik, a teenager who was recently arrested for allegedly fighting for the insurgents, said that Taliban forced him to take up arms to fight against security forces, the TOLONews reported.

The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Afghan National Army Gen. Murad Ali Murad said that Taliban are recruiting children and students from madrassas to fight for the insurgent group.

The extremist group is also using women and children as human shields in their war against the Afghan forces.

The Afghanistan Government and members of Parliament have condemned Taliban for using children in suicide attacks and in other acts of war.

Qazi Nazir Ahmad, an Afghan MP said that Sharia Law does not allow such acts of recruiting children in war.

Taliban continues to engage children especially teenagers to fight on the frontline against the security forces despite its leader Mullah Mansour allegedly asking fighters to stop recruiting them.