KABUL - A number of MPs and officials on Wednesday expressed concerns over recent reports that the Taliban are recruiting children and teenagers to fight on the frontline in Kunduz and Badakhshan.
However, this comes amid reports that the Taliban leader Mullah Mansour has allegedly called on his fighters to stop recruiting teenagers.
Abdul Malik, one teenager who was allegedly fighting for the insurgent group and arrested near Kunduz Airport recently, said Taliban rebels forced him to take up arms and fight security forces.
"I am 17-year-old and I was in grade 6 at a madrassa. Taliban forced me to fight against security forces here," he told TOLOnews.
Security officials meanwhile believe that the Taliban is recruiting teenagers from madrassas.
"They use children and students from madrassas but the security forces are over the legal age and they know who the enemies of Afghanistan are," said Gen. Murad Ali Murad, the deputy chief of staff of the Afghan National Army.
Another concern for the security forces is that the Taliban insurgents are using women and children as human shields in their war against Afghan troops.
"They [the Taliban] have complicated the war. They are using women and children as human shields," said Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum, the first Vice President.
Meanwhile, MPs have termed recruiting children and teenagers as a violation of human rights and even a war crime.
"Taliban militants have been weakened; they have turned towards children and locals. They push people to join the war by giving them money and using their force," said Farhad Seddiqi, an MP.
"Sharia Law does not allow such an act - to recruit children in war. The Taliban will not hesitate to do any bad act," said Qazi Nazir Ahmad Hanafi, an MP.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) meanwhile says engaging children and teenagers in war is one of their main concerns.
"Engaging children in war is a matter of concern for us. We urge the warring sides to avoid involving children in their war," said Sayed Maruf Hamdard, UNICEF media officer.
The Afghan government has several times condemned the use of children in suicide attacks or in other acts of war. (Tolonews)