A video was released by news station Noticias Uno Monday showing slain FARC chief “Mono Jojoy” and his successor training children to fire guns and assemble explosives in 2010.
After being analyzed by Colombia’s intelligence agencies, the video revealed that children were subjected to long hours of training in infiltration and evacuation of combat zones as well as ambush techniques, among other guerrilla tactics.
Some of the images depicted adolescents learning to arm and disarm firearms while others showed them being taught how to handle grenades and activate landmines in the jungles of Meta and Guaviare.
Last month, the Colombian government launched a public awareness campaignentitled “Stop, I want to be free,” which was aimed at parents whose children might be at risk of becoming child soldiers.
According to Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon, about 13% (3,120) of 24,000 guerrillas who have defected from the FARC were recruited when they were minors.