Jeffrey Gettleman Nyt News Service

The rallies usually start early in the morning, before the sunshine hurts. By 8 am on a recent day, thousands of people were packed into Burao's sandy town square, with little boys climbing high into the trees to get a peek at the politicians. "We're going to end corruption!" one of the politicians boomed, holding several microphones at once. "We'r...

Child soldiers are deployed across the globe, but according to the United Nations, the Somali government is among the "most persistent violators" of sending children into war, finding itself on a list with notorious rebel groups like the Lord's Resistance Army.

The rallies usually start early in the morning, before the sunshine hurts. By 8 am on a recent day, thousands of people were packed into Burao's sandy town square, with little boys climbing high into the trees to get a peek at the politicians. "We're going to end corruption!" one of the politicians boomed, holding several microphones at once. "We'r...

Child soldiers are deployed across the globe, but according to the United Nations, the Somali government is among the "most persistent violators" of sending children into war, finding itself on a list with notorious rebel groups like the Lord's Resistance Army.