More and more children are fighting in Yemen's conflict

Extreme poverty, boredom, and peer pressure are some of the reasons why aid workers say that hundreds and possibly thousands of boys under 18 have joined groups fighting in Yemen's civil war.
Most of the young soldiers are between the ages of 13 and 16, and some observers estimate that boys under 18 make up one-third of the Houthi militia's 25,000 fighters, The Washington Post reports. Some join because they are following their friends or have nothing to do since the war has forced schools to shut down, but many are lured to join militant groups with promises of money, food, and other perks. Before fighting broke out, half the population in Yemen lived on $2 or less a day, and by joining these organizations, the boys can sometimes earn $100 a month. "Becoming a fighter is seen as a way to make money to survive for those children who come from vulnerable backgrounds," Julien Harneis, the Yemen representative for UNICEF, told the Post. "And this is happening in all groups, from the north to south, in every corner of the country."
Yemen is a tribal society where children historically have not been allowed to fight, and it is hard for parents like Abdullah Ali to see their teenagers battling next to insurgents. His 15-year-old son joined the Houthis, and he prays he returns home alive and not in a body bag. "He's just a child," he told the Post. "He's only in the ninth grade. He should be at school learning, not fighting."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Today's political cartoons - February 22, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - bricking it, I can buy myself flowers, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 exclusive cartoons about Trump and Putin negotiating peace
Cartoons Artists take on alternative timelines, missing participants, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The AI arms race
Talking Point The fixation on AI-powered economic growth risks drowning out concerns around the technology which have yet to be resolved
By The Week UK Published
-
Canada beats US in charged 4 Nations hockey final
Speed Read 'You can't take our country — and you can't take our game,' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted after the game
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Eagles trounce Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX
speed read The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Indian teen is youngest world chess champion
Speed Read Gukesh Dommaraju, 18, unseated China's Ding Liren
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Europe roiled by attacks on Israeli soccer fans
Speed Read Israeli fans supporting the Maccabi Tel Aviv team clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters in 'antisemitic attacks,' Dutch authorities said
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York wins WNBA title, nearly nabs World Series
Speed Read The Yankees with face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the upcoming Fall Classic
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Caitlin Clark the No. 1 pick in bullish WNBA Draft
Speed Read As expected, she went to the Indiana Fever
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
South Carolina ends perfect season with NCAA title
Speed Read The women's basketball team won a victory over superstar Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Iowa's Caitlin Clark breaks NCAA scoring record
speed read College basketball star Caitlin Clark set the new record in Iowa's defeat of Ohio State
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published