Iraq conflict takes heavy toll on children: UN agencies

The conflict in Iraq is taking a heavy toll on the Middle East country's most vulnerable group -- its children, a UN spokesman said on Thursday, citing remarks of two UN officials.

The UN secretary-general's special representative for Iraq, Jan Kubis, and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) representative in Iraq, Peter Hawkins, voiced the concerns on Thursday.

On Nov. 26, eight children were killed and six others injured during a military operation in Al Halabsa village, near the city of Fallujah.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: "The UN is verifying an additional 15 incidents registered in October and November of attacks on civilian areas in Fallujah, by all parties to the conflict."

Meanwhile, the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) and UNICEF also expressed deep concerns about the safety of Iraq's children who continue to suffer from the effects of hostilities across the country.

"Ongoing operations in Ramadi, Mosul, Tala'afar and other conflict-affected areas in Iraq raise the risk of additional grave violations of child rights," the spokesman said.

UNAMI and UNICEF have urged all parties to the conflict to abide by the principles of proportionality and distinction in the course of military operations, to protect children and other civilians from the effects of violence to the maximum extent possible, and to respect the civilian nature of schools and medical facilities, he added. Enditem