ISIS video shows young children being prepped to fight on front line for terror group

The Islamic State (IS) has released a new video earlier this month showing children being trained to fight on the front lines. The narrator of the video said that the young pupils will eventually conquer several cities in the Middle East and Europe, including Jerusalem and Rome.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) released a copy of the video with English translations.

The video titled "The Caliphate's Generation" began with a discussion about the different aspirations of young children. The narrator lamented that children who want to become a mujahid or an imam are frowned upon by society while those who are secularly educated and aspire to be a judge, policeman or soldier are praised.

The next scene featured a sharia school where the children were asked about their dreams.

One child declared, "I want to be a martyrdom-seeker for the sake of Allah, thus heeding the words of the Prophet Muhammad: 'The martyrs that Allah loves most are the ones who fight in the front lines, and do not turn their backs until they are killed.'"

Another scene showed a young boy instructing other boys about proper clothing. One child was shown telling an older man to trim his mustache and grow his beard.

"The cubs do not engage only in activities in the field of shari'a," the narrator explained. "They join their brothers fighting on the front lines. Just as they are humble towards Muslims, they are harsh towards the infidels. From a very young age, they are raised on harshness, hatred, and animosity toward the infidels," the narrator continued.

The voiceover went on to say that the young pupils will be the ones to "conquer Damascus, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Mecca, Al-Madina, Dabiq, Rome, and Andalusia."

Human Rights Watch reported last month that both ISIS and Iraqi government-backed militias are recruiting children as fighters. Bill Van Esveld, a children's rights researcher, warned that children will be fighting on both sides in Mosul if the Iraqi government and its allies do not act soon.