Report says 300,000 ‘child soldiers’ in combat

NEW YORK — Children as young as 7 are among the more than 300,000 children forced to fight in conflicts in 41 countries, according to a new report.

The Child Soldiers Global Report found that at any one time, more than 300,000 children younger than 18 were fighting in conflicts. Most youth are between the ages of 15 and 18, but researchers did locate a 7-year-old soldier.

“Often, children are recruited because of their very qualities as children — they can be cheap, expendable and easier to condition into fearless killing and unthinking obedience,” the report noted.