Chechen teenagers swearing allegiance to the IS (a terrorist organization, banned in Russia by the court). Photo: screenshot of a post on Twitter https://twitter.com/Rita_Katz/status/1032022845633777665

23 August 2018, 08:22

Experts explain IS' stake on children and teens

The "Islamic State" (IS) a terrorist organization, banned in Russia by the court, is training teenagers in special camps and has long been using children in terror acts, the analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" have stated, explaining that minors cause less suspicion in law enforcers.

On August 20, a series of attacks was committed on policemen in Grozny and Shali District of Chechnya. Five young militants were killed. Five wounded policemen are still in hospitals.

The IS claimed responsibility for the attacks. A video was posted, in which Chechen teenagers swear allegiance to the IS. Appeals of the IS were heard by Chechen adolescents, who improved the tactics of single attacks, Orientalists have pointed out.

Sergey Goncharov, the president of the international veterans' association of the "Alpha" anti-terror unit, has treated the use of an 11-year-old child in the attack in Chechnya as "traditional style" of IS terrorists.

"The IS is making use not only of children, but also of women, by training children in terrorism from childhood," he said.

"Most often, teenagers are used for planting explosive devices and transportation of weapons, since a boy causes less suspicion than an adult. Islamists believe that after the age of 12, a boy is already a man," said Gennady Gudkov, a retired colonel of the Russian FSB (Federal Security Bureau).

Militants use children not only as suicide bombers, but also as executioners, Joanna Paraschuk, an analyst for the "IHS Janes" British Centre, believes.

She has noted that there are very few Russian-speaking militants remaining in Syria.

The IS continues recruiting people in Russia, including youngsters, Ms Paraschuk has added.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 22, 2018 at 08:12 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Oleg Krasnov Source: CK correspondent

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