When Terror Hides Behind Children – OpEd
By Ahmad Khan
The reported footage from Plangzai, North Waziristan, is not yet another disturbing image of the activities of the Terrorist Movement. A harsh reminder of the moral depths to which the Khwarij have sunk. Available video indicates that innocent children were being kept near armed terrorists as they moved; it was deliberate to ensure that civilians would be there to shield terrorists from legitimate security measures. It is the calculated exploitation of the most vulnerable members of society.
There’s no cause, slogan, or ideological argument that justifies putting kids in harm’s way. Children do not know what these armed groups are up to and what their agenda is. They don’t fight. They do not take part in any conflict. They’re children whose lives deserve safety, dignity, and normalcy. The Khwarij’s moral bankruptcy is manifest in surrounding themselves with such innocents.
Human shields have been a common tool of terrorists. It has multiple uses. First, it shields armed men from being targeted by security forces, making it more difficult for security forces to act without putting civilians at risk. Second, it results in ground confusion and delays legal action, and adds to the workload of troops. Thirdly, it creates propaganda opportunities, and perhaps most cynically. If civilians are being killed, the same terrorists who place civilians in danger seek to deflect the blame to the state.
The meanness of the ploy. The Khwarij aren’t just amongst the civilian population; they are using civilians as weapons. They’re making kids their shell and are aware that Pakistan’s security forces must be careful, restrained, and accurate. The terrorists take advantage of this restraint as they don’t have it. They know that security is a distinction between armed militants and innocent people, and they use this distinction in the name of self-survival.
This kind of behaviour also renders any religious claim that the Khwarij are supposed to have null and void. The life of an innocent, the dignity of children, and the sanctity of society are highly valued by Islam. Putting children next to armed men to hinder the security forces does not give the group a moral or religious authority. It is not doing a service to faith; it’s doing a disservice to faith.
This pattern needs to be understood by the people of North Waziristan. The Khwarij desire not only to get rid of any form of security pressure, but also to split the citizens from the State. They wish that each operation would be a propaganda front. They want fear to be the alternative to trust, rumors to be the alternative to facts, and anger to be the alternative to what the violent criminals are doing to endanger communities.
This is the reason for there being a public clarificatory statement. Communities should not allow terrorists to use children, mosques, or schools, or to use houses or streets as shields. It is the duty of parents, the elderly, local influencers, and responsible citizens to expose this pattern and to make it impossible for these groups to have a social space to survive.
The challenge for security forces is to neutralize armed terrorists whilst also ensuring the safety of civilians who are directly targeted by the terrorists. This is a challenge that requires accuracy, patience, and public participation. The Khwarij’s use of children as shields should make it clear about their character. They’re willing to die innocent for survival and propaganda. This cruelty has to be opposed by North Waziristan as a whole.
