On March 16, 2026, the “Al-Qadam Grand Mosque” in the Syrian capital, Damascus, published on its official Facebook page images of children appearing dressed in military attire and wearing red headbands, in a simulation resembling members of “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham,” known as the “Red Headbands.”
The post was accompanied by a religious text stating:
{And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy }
It also contained phrases praising children, including: “We ask God to make them the generation of empowerment and to liberate Jerusalem through them,” and “These young heroes, praise be to God, are the seedlings of the Great Mosque of Qadam.”
This publication comes amid growing concerns about children in Damascus being exposed to rhetoric that may incite violence and extremism, especially with the circulation of politicized religious content and the spread of preachers promoting extremist ideas through public platforms and social media.
This incident raises serious human rights concerns regarding the violation of children’s rights, including their exploitation in military or propaganda activities, and their exposure to content that may negatively affect their psychological and intellectual development, and violates international standards for the protection of children from recruitment or employment in conflicts or related activities.
