The Islamic State has altered the nature of child involvement in armed conflict and terrorism. Reportedly, boys under eighteen years of age have been executed—either beheaded or shot—for suspected affiliation with other armed groups, while girls as young as ten, primarily from the Yazidi religious minority in Iraq, have suffered torture, mass forced enslavement, and sexual violence. Children have not only been targeted by the group but have also witnessed and perpetrated IS executions. The use of children as a form of psychological warfare was strategically combined with the group’s aim to use them as vehicles to propagate its ideology to future generations. The group’s ambition to establish and impose a new socio-political order relied on children as a means to secure its vision of longevity.

In this expert briefing, Sareta Ashraph, from the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh/ISIL, provided crucial insights into ISIL's strategies and how the group exploited children. She also addressed the complex issues surrounding accountability and justice, highlighting the significant challenges posed by ISIL's systematic abuse and the ongoing efforts for justice, rehabilitation, and reintegration.