In a harrowing reminder of the ongoing conflict in Colombia, more than 100 children have been forcibly recruited by the National Liberation Army (ELN) in 2024. On June 26, an intense combat encounter near Labranzagrande, Boyacá, led to the rescue of a 13-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl by the Colombian Army and National Police. The minors, clad in guerrilla attire, were forced to bear arms by the ELN. After their surrender, they were handed over to the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (Bienestar Familiar) for medical and psychological care before reuniting with their families.
This rescue operation underscores the persistent issue of child recruitment by armed groups in Colombia. An audio recording recovered during the combat revealed the grim orders from alias “Malverde,” leader of the ELN’s José David Suárez front, to recruit minors. “The order is to go to the schools, verify if you need to talk to the families, but we need to recruit as soon as possible, boys and girls from any community,” the front commander instructed.
The Colombian Army swiftly condemned the ELN’s actions, describing them as “cowardly criminal behavior” and a “serious violation of human rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL).” The government delegation involved in peace negotiations with the ELN echoed this condemnation, labeling the recruitment of minors as “unacceptable and a violation of the agreed ceasefire.”
The scale of the problem is significant. In 2024 alone, Colombia’s armed forces have rescued 238 minors from various armed groups, highlighting the urgent need for effective protective measures for children and youth. The Special Jurisdiction for Peace tribunal (JEP) has established a special chapter to investigate the recruitment and use of children by the now-demobilized FARC guerrilla.
In early May, JEP handed over the remains of a 16-year-old boy, who had been missing for 22 years after being recruited by the FARC and dying in combat. His remains were discovered in a cemetery in La Unión Peneya, Caquetá, along with 46 other bodies, many of whom were minors forcibly recruited into the guerrilla.
Sebastián Solano, coordinator of the Youth at Risk Line of the Peace & Reconciliation Foundation (Pares), emphasized the continuing rise in forced recruitment despite various ceasefire agreements. “Despite different ceasefires and peace talks, forced recruitment of minors has not stopped. On the contrary, it is increasing,” Solano noted.
The ELN has yet to address the issue of child combatants or their use of social media to recruit minors. The recent rescue of two minors by the Army and National Police drew a strong reaction from Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who labeled the ELN’s actions as a crime against humanity. He also expressed concern about the forced recruitment of indigenous children in Cauca. “The children in Cauca have become the shield of armed groups against the State. There are 350 youngsters recruited from indigenous groups. That, for me, is a crime against humanity,” Petro stated.
In 2023, 184 children, aged between 9 and 17, were victims of forced recruitment in Colombia, with nearly 70% coming from indigenous communities in conflict zones. This alarming statistic highlights the vulnerability of indigenous populations and the urgent need for comprehensive measures to protect children from being drawn into the ongoing conflict.
