On June 24, Human Rights Watch reported that at least 120 children have been abducted by jihadist insurgents in northern Mozambique. The kidnappings are connected to an Islamic State-linked group known as "al-Shabab." The insurgents are known for abducting children for forced labor, or to use them as child soldiers or child brides.
Human Rights Watch also warned that the rate of abductions in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, where the recent kidnappings took place, has been increasing.
Overall, investigators around the world have pointed to an alarming increase in the use of child soldiers in global conflicts. Children, as young as eight years old, often coming from impoverished or politically unstable communities, are often kidnapped and forcibly recruited into armed groups in exchange for promises of protection or economic opportunity.
The impacts of this exploitation are devastating. Beyond facing threats to their lives, exposure to extreme violence has a direct correlation with long-term psychological trauma. In this gallery, learn more about the children caught in the cross fire. Click on for more.