France slams Houthis for using child soldiers

Arab News
Houthi Shiite Yemenis guard a street near the presidential palace during clashes in Sanaa, Yemen, in this Jan. 19, 2015 file photo. (AP)

PARIS: France on Wednesday condemned the recruitment of child soldiers by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
“France calls on all parties to the Yemen conflict to abide by international law, which prohibits the use of children in armed conflicts,” said a statement by the French Foreign Ministry.
As part of the 10th anniversary of the Paris Principles and Commitments, on Feb. 21 we joined the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in hosting the international conference on the fate of children in armed conflicts, the statement said.
It added: “France emphasizes the urgent need to find a political solution that alone can prevent further deterioration in Yemen’s security and humanitarian situation and combat terrorism. We reiterate our full support to the efforts of Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, UN special envoy.”
The French condemnation followed Tuesday’s Amnesty International report which accused Houthis of recruiting fighters as young as 15 and using religious schools to lure teenagers into their ranks without their parents’ knowledge.