Colombia Air Strike Kills Young Teens, Highlights Child Recruitment Crisis
Three children were among ten people killed in a Colombian military air strike last week. Authorities confirmed two victims were 15 years old and one was 16. The August 27 operation targeted cocaine-trafficking rebels in the southern Guaviare department.
This was the deadliest military action since President Abelardo de la Espriella took office this month. President de la Espriella has promised to intensify operations against armed groups. The victims were allegedly part of a group that disagreed with the 2016 peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
President de la Espriella said on Monday that another bombing in the same area killed eight members of a FARC dissident group. This group was led by a commander named Ivan Mordisco. It is not known if any children were killed in this second strike.
The President wrote on social media that criminals who recruit children must face justice. He said these actions violate international laws. Since President de la Espriella began his term, 24 suspected rebels have died in military operations.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported last week that child recruitment by armed groups is increasing in Colombia. The report stated that at least 1,500 children have been recruited since 2021. This includes 625 cases reported in 2024 alone.
These criminal and rebel groups use social media to find new child recruits. They ask children to do dangerous jobs, like operating drones with explosives. Social media platforms like Meta and TikTok have even shown content that seems to encourage children to join these groups.
Juanita Goebertus is HRW’s Americas director. She said armed groups recruit children freely. Ms. Goebertus added that existing protection systems are failing. She also noted that social media platforms have become very effective for recruitment.
Meta and TikTok told HRW that they do not allow violent content. They also said they removed accounts that HRW flagged to them. The rising deaths of children in conflicts remain a serious concern.
