#militas

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Good news: South Sudan's government’s commits that the SPLA will have no children within its ranks. All incorporated militias and armed groups who have accepted amnesty with the Government will also be releasing their child soldiers.

From the Boston Globe's Big Picture Series. A Somali militiaman loyal to Hezb al-Islamiya, an an affiliate of Al Shabaab, stands at the frontlines of the Hodan district in Mogadishu. Hezb al-Islamiya and Al Shabaab have often occupied large portions of the capital, waging violent street battles with African Union peacekeepers as they attempt to topple the internationally recognized Transitional Federal Government. In recent months African Union forces have managed to regain control of much of the city, but have little influence outside the capital. 

From CBC news. Tribal militia men loyal to the Al-Ahmar family, leaders of the Hashid Tribal Federation in Yemen, patrol in Sana'a. In May the Ahmar family fought a series of fierce street battles with president Saleh's security forces, leaving more than 200 dead before a declared ceasefire. Despite the ceasefire, Saleh's air force may have continued to bomb areas surrounding Sadiq al-Ahmar's stronghold in Sana'a, leading to retaliatory violence. 

 Many believe that if the Americans were to leave, the Maliki government’s inability to crackdown on local religious militia groups might be compounded, especially as new evidence suggests that Iran has boosted its efforts to supply radical Shia militias with weaponry and explosives, explaining a recent spike in U.S. fatalities.