Child suicide bombers are being trained in Pakistan

Teenagers and children are brainwashed and trained for suicide bombings against the US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan. Religious seminaries in the war-wracked Afghanistan and in the tribal belt of Pakistan have been the main breeding source for suicide bombers. Intelligence agencies of Pakistan, Afghanistan and even the Central Intelligence Agency of the US have unearthed a number of seminaries in the tribal belt of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan where students are brainwashed and trained for suicide bombings and terror attacks.

These terrorists and suicide bombers have been targeting Afghan and NATO forces in Afghanistan while they have also been targeting Pakistani security forces. In the name of Islam and Jihad (the holy war), children and teenager are befooled and exploited to carry out suicide attacks on the US-led coalition forces – religious clerics call the troops infidel and liable to be killed – if they want to go into heaven. Selective verses of Holy Quran are used to exploit the young souls and unfortunately they succeed in doing so with complete impunity.

On Monday, the Afghan government claimed to have recovered around 41 children from the clutches of terrorists who were about to be trafficked to tribal belt of Pakistan. These children were to be brainwashed and trained for suicide bombings in religious seminaries of Pakistan. How unfortunate it is! The Afghan Police also claimed to have arrested four terrorists who were about to smuggle these children to seminaries in Pakistani region bordering Afghanistan. These children are stated to be aged between six to eleven years and have been handed over to their parents.

The Afghan government has repeatedly accused seminaries in Pakistan of teaching extremism and violence but who cares. In Pakistan, these seminaries are considered to be one of the potential sources of the powerful army to fight against India in Kashmir. Students of these seminaries are also being used against the US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan. The US have protested to Pakistani officials for a number of times and pressed them to initiate a military offensive against terrorists and militants based in North Waziristan but to no avail.

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai reportedly pardoned around 30 potential suicide bombers last year nabbed by the security forces. The government of Karzai has just reduced to federal capital and extends no more in restive regions of the country. There is a dire need of initiation of de-radicalization centers in the restive parts of Afghanistan where potential suicide bombers and extremists should be treated.

The United States government should also help Hamid Karzai to start educational institutions in the country and parents of children should be encouraged to send their children to schools instead of religious seminaries. Pakistan should also be pressed to start a military offensive against terrorists based in tribal belt of the country bordering Afghanistan. Seminaries imparting extremism and violence should also be eliminated for good.