Mexican children ‘in firing line’
The Mexican drug war is claiming more and more child victims, with experts believing young people are now being deliberately targeted.
Figures recently published by the lobby group Network for the Rights of Childhood in Mexico (Redim) estimated at least 1,300 minors have lost their lives since president Felipe Calderon launched his crackdown on drugs in 2006.
According to Reuters, the killing has become more indiscriminate in recent months, particularly around the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez, which has been blighted by drug-related violence.
Redim director Martin Perez told the news agency that up until early 2010, many of the child deaths were due to minors being caught in the crossfire.
"Since then we can see organised crime has started to kill boys and girls to send messages to other cartels," he explained.
Redim also believes that approximately 30,000 young people have been recruited to work for drug gangs, with some being trained as assassins.
The trial of a 14-year-old boy accused of working as a hitman for a Mexican drug cartel began earlier this week.
