Children 'tricked' into Afghan suicide blasts
193 people have died in suicide attacks in Afghanistan in 2007 so far
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Sunday, 09, Sep 2007 11:02
The UN says it has uncovered evidence showing that children are being "duped [and] coerced" into blowing themselves up in Afghanistan.
A report from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan claims that religious fanatics linked to al-Qaida and the Taliban convince boys that they will somehow survive suicide attacks and be rewarded with material prizes such as motorcycles and mobile phones.
Released on the sixth anniversary of the first-known suicide attack in Afghanistan, which were unheard of before the killing of warlord Ahmad Shah Massoud, the UN says that the majority of suicide bombers in the south Asian country are foreigners.
"With this study we've looked at suicide attackers here in Afghanistan, and based on what we've found you can say we are puncturing a few popular myths," said the UN's special representative for Afghanistan Tom Koenigs.
"The Afghan suicide attacker is not crazed, fanatical or brainwashed. Some are recruited in madrasas [Islamic schools], but many are not. Of those we've seen most are young, poor, uneducated, and easily influenced."
But quoting a senior Taliban commander the report states that up to four-fifths of bombers receive training at religious schools in neighbouring Pakistan.
There have been 77 reported suicide attacks in Afghanistan in the first-half of 2007; double the number recorded in the same period last year.
The UN says that 193 people have died in these attacks, including 121 civilians, despite the bombers targeting international and Afghan soldiers.