//Islam just sanctified a number of pre-existing tribal practices across the middle East, Africa and beyond so let's not go there//
Yes, let’s go there. Instead of making excuses for it, it's high time the whole world opened its eyes and addressed this issue. As the article says “It seems incredible that this sort of thing still happens in our world.” This is the 21st century, not the 7th. There is no justification for this, and it deserves none.
Eddie, //Yemen and Saudi Arabia both have no minimum legal age for marriage//
The Koran sets no minimum age for marriage – in fact it gives clear advice to men on divorcing wives who have not yet menstruated.
//The Koran tells us that Mohammed, the founder of Islam had several brides the youngest of whom was 8.//
Mohammed actually married Aisha when she was six and consummated the marriage when she was nine. Her own records of her life from age six make unsavoury reading.