New Batches of Recruited Children in ISIS Ranks inside Raqqa

Nearly 117 young men, aged between 17 to 20 years joined the ranks of ISIS on Wednesday 04/22/2015 in the combat camps of the group, also nearly 100 children joined the “Cubs” camps, as it has been called by the group.

Sending children to Cubs camps led to a state of frustration and sadness among them, who do not want to join the Cubs camps, where they have to stay for a long time before allowing them to participate in the battles.

Mohammed Hussein, one eyewitness told a reporter from “Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently” that: “a group of those children returned, and their eyes full of tears because of rejecting them by the group to join the youth camps, and sending them to the Cubs camps where the training is very hard, and child is prevented from seeing his family or communicate with them.”

It should be noted that these numbers include only the young men of the city, while there are other numbers from countryside estimated at 500 young people.

Those boys joined ISIS camps for several reasons such as:

1. Closure of schools, institutes and universities, so the street is the only place for those children and young people, therefore it’s easier to brainwash these young people and attract them to ISIS ranks.

2. Closure of cafes, clubs and all entertainment places for young people.

3. Unemployment that prevailing significantly, and the difficult living conditions experienced by civilians in general.

4. The huge media machine run by the group through media centers, as well as the platforms of mosques that turned into an invitation centers to join the ranks of the group.

5. The large sums of money offered by the group to its members, and big advantages of money, power and prestige.

6. Active advocacy centers, and many events carried out by the group inside the neighborhoods to attract children, and good treatment by ISIS members to persuade them to join their ranks.

7. The opening of the group for a number of institutes inside Raqqa, which carry educational character, but it teaches children martial arts, thought and doctrine of the group.

All these factors contributed to make children the futuristic human reservoir for the group, while the world turned its back to Raqqa. The number of students inside Raqqa at all educational levels “Primary – Preparatory – Secondary” are nearly 250,000 students, all of them at the street today, which has become the only place for them, and where ISIS lurks as a monster awaits its prey.