The Islamic State (Isis) militants have kidnapped around 500 children from Iraq, who according to local security personnel fear will be used in 'suicide attacks' by the Sunni radical group.
"Daesh [Arabic acronym for Isis] has kidnapped at least 400 children in the western province of Anbar and taken them to their bases in Iraq and Syria," a member of Anbar's Provincial Council, Farhan Mohammed told Anadolu Agency.
The Iraqi officials said that in the last one week hundreds of children have been frisked away from their homes and schools in Ar Rutba, Al-Qaim, Anah and Rawa. Similarly, another 100 children under the age of 16 have been taken away by the Isis from Iraq's eastern province.
Diyala police chief Lieutenant General Kasim Al-Saidi told the news source that the children were being taken to Isis bases in Iraq and even in Syria to be used in "suicide attacks".
Saidi revealed that the Isis fighters are giving them weapons training as well. In April, Rehab al-Abouda, head of the Iraqi Parliament's Committee for Women, Family and Childhood had revealed that the Isis has used hundreds of kidnapped boys as fighters in its clashes with the Iraqi security forces.
Her statement had come days after it emerged that at least 120 children were kidnapped from schools in Mosul by the Isis militants.
The children were taken from their schools in al-Qayyarah, al-Shura, Badoush and al-Baaj neighbourhoods of the city, located 400 km from Baghdad and taken to Isis cub camps.
