ONM-ABO, July 20, 2024
In a troubling development, the Ethiopian government has been forcibly conscripting teenagers into its army for combat. This desperate measure comes as the regime faces significant losses of adult and experienced soldiers in ongoing conflicts with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in Oromia and the Fano Terrorist Group in the Amhara Region.
These young conscripts, after receiving only a few weeks of inadequate military training, are increasingly choosing to escape. Recently, a young man from the southern regions managed to flee from an enemy base in Liqixii, Qondaala district of West Wallagga Zone, and surrendered to a nearby OLA base.
The deserter revealed horrifying details of the Ethiopian army’s brutal tactics, which include displacing the Oromo people through beatings, looting, and the burning of homes and properties. He decided to abandon his post, believing it was the right thing to do to avoid causing harm to innocent civilians. He surrendered with a fully loaded Turkish-made AKM rifle and three F1 grenades.
This situation highlights the severe human rights violations and the desperate conditions faced by these young conscripts, raising urgent questions about the ethics and legality of such forced recruitment practices.
