Mercenary industry

UK Firm Employed Child Soldiers as Mercenaries in Iraq

A new documentary entitled “The Child Soldier’s New Job” highlights that Aegis and other security defense companies have recruited child soldiers from these countries among its military personnel, Telesur reported.

The British firm, Aegis Defence Services, has been employing child soldiers as mercenaries in Iraq.

James Ellery, the former director of the firm explained that contractors were obliged to recruit from countries such as Sierra Leone for economic reasons.

Whereas the company used to previously employ people from places like the UK, the U.S. and Nepal, it now recruits from Africa because it’s more affordable.

A source of cheap labor to guard military installations in Iraq, many private military firms have turned to countries such as Sierra Leone, Uganda and Kenya.

The documentary includes interviews with former child soldiers and reveals documents indicating their employment with Aegis. Contract documents also reveal that the soldiers were paid about $16 a day.