A/HRC/25/65 G. 1. Violations of children’s rights Government forces and pro-government militia 72. Pro-government militia armed and used children from the age of 13 at checkpoints in Aleppo, Dara’a and Tartus. In October 2013, in Ataman (Dara’a), children from the age of 14 were armed and trained by popular committees. 73. Government sieges resulted in the severe malnutrition of young children in Daraya, Muadamiyah and Yarmouk (Damascus). 74. Children, particularly adolescent boys, were arrested at checkpoints controlled by government forces and pro-government militia in Aleppo, Damascus and Dara’a. Girls reported sexual violence and harassment at checkpoints. 75. Children were detained with adults and subjected to torture inside the Aleppo Political Security Branch and the Military Security Branch detention facilities in Damascus. A 15-year-old boy, who spent three months in detention until late July, was subjected to daily torture. Scars, including cigarette burns, were visible on his body. He demonstrated marked signs of post-traumatic stress. 76. In Aleppo, children were the subject of deliberate targeting by snipers. A doctor reported that, in October 2013, at least one child was injured daily by a sniper, and cited a case of an 8-year-old boy killed while carrying bread. 77. Children have been killed, injured and suffered permanent disabilities through indiscriminate shelling and aerial bombardment by government forces. Starting in July, a dozen schools were shelled, leading to the death and wounding of children in Aleppo, Ar Raqqah, Damascus, Dara’a, Dayr az Zawr, Homs and Idlib governorates. 78. Government forces and militia perpetrated acts that constitute war crimes, including torture of children in detention and the recruitment and use of children. Use of children by pro-government militia violates the commitment of the Syrian Arab Republic to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Denial of food and medical care during sieges is in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law obligations. Children’s right to education has been denied through indiscriminate attacks on schools. 2. Non-State armed groups 79. Children were recruited and used by Ahrar al-Sham, several FSA affiliated groups, Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS. In late 2013, children were observed in combat roles with FSAaffiliated groups in Tamoura (Aleppo), with Jabhat Al-Nusra in Al-Hasakah, and with ISIS in Ar Raqqah and Aleppo. Children were wounded during active combat. 80. Armed groups assigned child recruits from the age of 12 to 14 years to checkpoints and used children to load ammunition. In 2013, minors were seen at ISIS checkpoints in Ar Raqqah and at Saddam Hussein Battalion checkpoints in Aleppo. Children received weapons training by Jabhat Al-Nusra in Tal Rifat (Aleppo) in July 2013. ISIS used a school in Al Bab (Aleppo) as a military training camp for boys in September 2013. 81. Underage YPG fighters were seen in Qamishli (Al-Hasakah) and in Ayn Al-Arab (Ar Raqqah) in July and August 2013. In a letter dated 30 September 2013 addressed to the commission, the YPG stated its policy not to use children under 18. An order issued on 14 December from its central command to YPG commanders echoed these guidelines. Adherence to this policy continues to be monitored. 13