Armed groups recruit 10,000 child soldiers in Central African Republic: NGO
Source: Reuters
DAKAR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Up to 10,000 children have been recruited by armed groups during the conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) despite a U.N.-backed peacekeeping presence, the number rising sharply in the past two years, Save the Children said on Thursday.
Some children were abducted or forced to join such groups, while others signed up for food, clothing, money and protection, the international children's charity said in a news release.
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Children as young as eight are forced to fight, carry supplies, and perform other frontline and support roles. They often suffer physical and mental abuse by militants, and some have been ordered to kill, Save the Children said.
Having witnessed or committed killings and other violent crimes, children associated with armed groups are highly likely to suffer fear, anxiety, depression, grief, and insecurity, and many require specialized psychological support, it said.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/18/us-centralafrica-children-fighters-idUSKBN0JW1PR20141218?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews
Absolutely gut wrenching.
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