The chilling news of abduction cases are increasingly rising in Somali capital Mogadishu, amid families concerning for their children’s safety.
The abduction cases, mostly took place at places of worships, business centers and outside of children’s houses.
Caasimada Online learned that the child kidnappings are allegedly carried out by unknown men on rickshaws in Somali capital.
The child abduction cases were reported to have taken place in Warta-Nabadda, Wadajir and Dharkenley districts in the capital.
The worrying trend as child abductions come days after 11-years-old boy was kidnapped while heading on his way to home in Mogadishu.
UN calls to stop children abduction in Somalia
The Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, has called for the immediate release of all children kidnapped or recruited as fighters in the country’s armed conflict.
“The abduction of children by the Al Shabaab group and their recruitment and use by government security forces in the armed conflict constitute a grave violation of the children’s rights,” the expert said in a statement.
UN commended the government for measures taken so far to rehabilitate children captured in combat, and for recognizing that such children were victims, but he urged the authorities to act now to stop children being used in the fighting.
The expert also called on the government to build rehabilitation centres to address the plight of children associated with Al Shabaab.
However, UN expert called for a comprehensive review of the country’s traditional dispute resolution framework and urged steps to ensure that traditional elders protected women against female genital mutilation, rape and other sexual and gender-based violence while respecting international human rights standards.
