Boko Haram Releases 16 Minutes Video Of Children Undergoing Combat Training In A Camp

Boko Haram, a Nigerian jihadist group, has released a new video depicting child soldiers undergoing religious and combat training in a camp.

The images show children as young as six years old participating in martial arts training, weapon handling training, and religious education classes while dressed in combat-style clothing and wearing a balaclava.

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At least two instructors and one child appeared to be in possession of a Zastava M21, which was most likely taken from Cameroonian security forces.

The Zastava M21, which is based on the Kalashnikov design, has previously been seen in images shared by Boko Haram factions or reported recovered by security forces.

Some children were also seen holding Kalashnikov assault rifles with underfolding, sidefolding, and fixed wooden stocks in various Kalashnikov patterns.

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Religious class for child soldiers
Religious education and indoctrination sessions were shown in a section of the 16 minute and 40 second video in Hausa and Arabic.

Boko Haram has occasionally shown different generations of fighters it is grooming to sustain the insurgency, according to HumAngle.

In North East Nigeria and Lake Chad, Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) have waged a bloody insurgency that has claimed at least 30,000 lives and displaced over two million people.