On Saturday, July 19, 2025, Mirnanah Omar Wali, born in 2008 and originally from the village of Jarqali, near the city of Ayn al-Arab (Kobani) in the eastern countryside of Aleppo Governorate, was kidnapped by members of the Revolutionary Youth “Jowanen Shorshker” affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Ayn al-Arab for forced conscription.
According to what the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented from reliable local sources, members of the Revolutionary Youth kidnapped Mirnanah after she attended a “July 19 Revolution” party held by the SDF in Ayn al-Arab. They then took her to one of the SDF’s recruitment centers.
SNHR notes that her family was not informed of the recruitment process, and the girl was prevented from communicating with her family or allowing them to visit her. The SNHR fears that the girl will be involved in military operations, whether directly or indirectly. The network also confirms that approximately 413 children are still being held in forced recruitment camps run by the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Legal Conclusions:
- The abduction of the child Mirnana Omar Wali and forced recruitment constitute a flagrant violation of Article 38 of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, which obliges controlling powers to take all feasible measures to ensure that children under the age of 18 do not take part in hostilities. Since the child was under 18 at the time of the incident, this constitutes a clear violation of the Convention.
- The recruitment of children under the age of 15 into armed conflict is a war crime under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Abduction for the purpose of forced recruitment amounts to inhuman treatment under the Geneva Conventions.
- The denial of contact with the family and failure to disclose the child’s whereabouts constitute enforced disappearance under the definition of the 2006 International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. This also constitutes an unlawful deprivation of liberty without legal justification, in violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
- The kidnapping of the girl while she was on her way to school violates Article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the right to education, as well as Article 16 on the protection of family life and privacy.
SNHR Recommendations:
- Immediately and unconditionally release the child Mirnana Omar Wali, and ensure her safe return to her family, while providing her with psychological and social support.
- Cease all child recruitment by the Syrian Democratic Forces, including its civilian wings such as the Revolutionary Youth.
- Open an independent and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the child’s abduction and other cases of child recruitment, and hold those responsible for violations accountable.
- Allow international organizations, particularly the International Commission of Inquiry, UNICEF, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to access recruitment camps and ensure the safety of children detained there.
- The transitional government in Damascus must protect all Syrian citizens from all forms of violations against them and hold perpetrators accountable.
