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Over 650 children recruited into armed groups in S. Sudan: UNICEF

Xinhua, August 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Friday more than 650 South Sudanese children have been recruited into armed groups since January.

UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Justin Forsyth called for an immediate end to recruitment and the unconditional release of all children by armed actors.

Forsyth, who spoke following a trip to Bentiu and Juba this week, said the dream the world shares for the children of this young country has become a nightmare.

"At this precarious stage in South Sudan's short history, UNICEF fears that a further spike in child recruitment could be imminent," he said in a statement released in Juba, expressing fears that renewed conflict that could put tens of thousands of children at ever greater risk.

The South Sudan situation has worsened since clashes between rival forces -- the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing former First Vice-President Riek Machar -- erupted in and around the capital, Juba, on July 7.

According to UNICEF, about 16,000 children have been recruited by armed groups and forces since the crisis in South Sudan first began in December 2013.

The UN agency said children continue to be recruited and used by armed groups and forces despite widespread political commitment to end the practice.

"Children continue to endure horrific ordeals. Recent reports point to widespread sexual violence against girls and women," Forsyth said.

In 2015, UNICEF oversaw the release of 1,775 former child soldiers in what was one of the largest demobilizations of children ever. Renewed fighting and recruitment in South Sudan risks undermining much of this progress.

Forsyth also highlighted increased grave violences in the world's youngest country, noting that gender-based violence, already pervasive, has greatly intensified during the current crisis.

The UN agency noted that unconditional access for all humanitarian interventions in Juba and all other parts of the country is urgently needed so as to provide support, protection, and assistance to children and women across the country.

"Without a fully operational humanitarian sector, the consequences for children and their families will be catastrophic," Forsyth added. Enditem