Colombia’s armed groups are recruiting children and training them for drone warfare, according to a report by a rights organization.

Increase in Child Recruitment by Armed Groups in Colombia Raises Alarm

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BOGOTÁ, Colombia — A disturbing trend emerges in Colombia as armed groups, including drug gangs and rebel factions, intensify their recruitment of children, assigning them to perilous tasks such as operating drones armed with explosives, according to a recent report from Human Rights Watch. The international human rights organization emphasizes that these criminal elements are increasingly leveraging social media platforms to attract minors, aiming to solidify their dominance over rural territories where they profit from drug trafficking, extortion, and illegal mining.

Human Rights Watch highlights that the recruitment of children by armed groups is occurring with alarming impunity, signaling a failure in existing protective systems. The use of social media has reportedly become a potent instrument in these recruitment efforts, allowing armed groups to reach vulnerable youth more effectively.

Recent statistics from Colombia’s Human Rights Defenders’ Office indicate that since 2021, over 1,500 children have been recruited by various armed factions, with an alarming 625 cases documented in the year 2024 alone. This trend marks a resurgence reminiscent of the late 1990s, when approximately 1,320 children were enlisted during the peak conflict involving the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as reported by a national truth commission.

Despite a 2016 peace agreement aimed at reducing violence, the landscape remains precarious. The exit of FARC guerrillas from areas they once controlled has created a power vacuum, leading to intensified battles among smaller rebel groups and criminal organizations in these regions, where law enforcement and public services remain inadequate.

The recruitment methods employed by these groups have evolved, with children not only being utilized for traditional roles such as messengers and spies but also being trained for drone warfare. Evidence compiled by Human Rights Watch includes verified videos showcasing children operating drones equipped with explosives. Interviews with family protection officers reveal a troubling normalization of such activities, with some children describing their involvement as a game rather than partaking in armed conflict.

Data from Colombia’s Human Rights Defenders’ Office outlines that in the first five months of this year alone, armed groups executed 121 drone attacks, resulting in 21 fatalities and 145 injuries. The alarming use of technology is compounded by the glorification of rebel life on social media, where numerous accounts romanticize affiliation with armed groups and are sometimes promoted by platform algorithms on sites like Meta and TikTok. In response to concerns raised, both Meta and TikTok assert that they prohibit violent content and have removed flagged accounts.

Particularly troubling is the disproportionate impact on Indigenous communities, where nearly half of all reported recruitment cases since 2021 have involved Indigenous children, despite this demographic constituting just 4% of Colombia’s population. Additionally, girls represent nearly 40% of all recruited minors.

In light of these findings, Human Rights Watch calls on the Colombian government to allocate more resources towards prosecuting those involved in the recruitment of minors, alongside enhancing preventative measures in at-risk rural areas. There has yet to be an official response from the government regarding these pressing issues, which remain pivotal to the safety and security of Colombia’s youth. Moreover, Human Rights Watch urges social media companies to create streamlined reporting mechanisms for content related to child recruitment, ensuring that pertinent evidence is preserved for legal prosecution.

The intersection of modern technology and the grim reality of child recruitment in Colombia poses significant challenges that require immediate attention and action from both government and civil society actors.