In Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, child abductions by ISIS-affiliated militants are on the rise. Over 120 minors have been kidnapped this year — part of a systematic strategy to reinforce their ranks.

Children are taken during raids, forced into carrying supplies, guarding camps, joining attacks, or in the case of girls — being married off to fighters. While a few are released, most remain trapped in cycles of exploitation and indoctrination.

Witnesses report teens, some as young as 13, fighting just months after capture. Unlike adults, children are easier to intimidate, control, and “train” — making them ideal low-cost recruits in times of manpower shortage.

Recent attacks, including the torching of Christian villages in Chiúre, show that militant activity remains high — and with it, the recruitment of child soldiers is only growing.