Iran has launched a nationwide campaign recruiting children as young as 12 for wartime roles, according to reports published on March 30. The initiative, led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), involves minors assisting with surveillance, patrols, and checkpoint operations, with registration taking place at mosques and public spaces across Tehran.
The issue drew renewed attention after an 11-year-old boy was killed in a drone strike while reportedly assisting at a military checkpoint in the capital. Rights groups say the campaign raises serious concerns about the use of minors in conflict and may violate international humanitarian law, which prohibits the recruitment of children under 15 for armed roles.
Investigators have pointed to an alarming increase in the use of child soldiers in conflicts around the world. Children, as young as eight years old, often coming from impoverished or politically unstable communities, are 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 crossfire. Click on for more.