Increased Use Of Children In Terrorism

As the environment changes around terrorist groups so too must the groups themselves. As they evolve, new tactics found to be most effective are quickly adopted and overtime become trends. For example, suicide bombings have become an enduring symbol of terrorism. Despite the decline in the use of this tactic, it still has the same stinging effect when used. The recent suicide bombings in Istanbul are evidence of this fact. It remains to be seen if recent trends in terrorism (i.e. cyber-attacks or foreign fighters) will have the same effect, however, the increased use of children in terrorist operations will likely remain and increase over time. The use of children in terrorist operations is not a new phenomenon, however, their participation in terrorist acts such as executions and suicide bombings has increased over the last few years. The execution of two Russian members of ISIS by a 10-year-old boy and the suicide bombing in Nigeria reportedly carried out by three 10-year-old girls (Bloom & Horgan, 2015, p. NA) represent a level of exploitation that has reached
So, why are we likely to see a rise in child terrorism? The use of children in terrorism represents a strategic decision on two fronts. First, children provide some key “tactical” advantages (discussed