Watch: Syrian child sniper discusses killing soldiers: There's nothing to it
"I killed my first soldier on this front. When I killed him, I didn't feel anything. He was the first, but then came a second, and a third. I've gotten used to being a sniper."
By JPOST.COM STAFFSyrian Child Soldier- 'I've Gotten Used to Killing Soldiers.' (Memri)
The Syrian civil war, well into its third year, has not only claimed more than 190,000 lives and displaced millions of people from their homes, it has turned a number of children into soldiers, unmoved by taking the life of another.A Lebanese television report, broadcast this week and translated by MEMRI, tells the story of these child soldiers, who "arrive here as children and quickly turn into killing machines."The report focuses on 12-year-old Midyan Abu Al-Qa'qa, who voluntarily joined the ranks of rebel fighters, after his father was killed in battle in the south of Idlib.The boy operates as a sniper at the Wadi Deifr Camp, east of Maarat Al-Nu'man."I get up in the morning and try to shoot some soldiers. Sometimes I manage to shoot one or two, and sometimes I don't. There's nothing to it. I feel fine," Midyan told the Lebanese station."I killed my first soldier on this front. When I killed him, I didn't feel anything. He was the first, but then came a second, and a third. I've gotten used to being a sniper," he said.The report quoted a veteran rebel soldier as saying that "children make the best soldiers. When you give them orders, they obey. They never doubt anything."Midyan expressed the belief that he is fighting for a just cause. "We will continue the revolution until we win or become martyrs."