The information is from UNICEF which notes an exponential increase in the number of children forced to carry out suicide attacks.
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), at least 135 children were forced by the terrorist group Boko Haram, to commit suicide bombings in Nigeria and Cameroon in 2017. The UN agency notes that this figure is five times higher than in 2016. Interviewed by RFI , Mohamed Fall , UNICEF representative in Nigeria, points out that girls are being used more and more.
"Use, especially of girls, has become more important than it was in the early stages of conflict. Of the more than 130 children we have counted, there are more than sixty girls and thirty boys, " he said. According to Mr. Fall, the terrorist group is making greater use of children because of "the increased presence of security forces and vigilance committees. This makes it a little more complicated, a little more difficult the infiltration of human bombs. It's easier for a child to hide in a crowd or go unnoticed through checkpoints , "he explains.
But that's not all. The UNICEF representative in Nigeria also points out that this phenomenon often "stems from indoctrination, instrumentalisation and manipulation. And sometimes these are actions that are much easier for a child than for an adult, " says Fall.
In general, UNICEF notes an increase in the number of children used in the front lines of conflict around the world. In South Sudan, more than 19,000 children were also recruited into armed groups, while more than 2,300 have been killed or injured since December 2013. Many children have also been forced into exile in the past 12 months. .
In the course of 2017, attacks on children have reached alarming proportions in conflict zones around the world, denounces Thursday the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the Kasai region, at least 850,000 children have fled because of the violence. More than 200 health centers and 400 schools were also attacked.
Source : Cameroon-Info
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), at least 135 children were forced by the terrorist group Boko Haram, to commit suicide bombings in Nigeria and Cameroon in 2017. The UN agency notes that this figure is five times higher than in 2016. Interviewed by RFI , Mohamed Fall , UNICEF representative in Nigeria, points out that girls are being used more and more.
"Use, especially of girls, has become more important than it was in the early stages of conflict. Of the more than 130 children we have counted, there are more than sixty girls and thirty boys, " he said. According to Mr. Fall, the terrorist group is making greater use of children because of "the increased presence of security forces and vigilance committees. This makes it a little more complicated, a little more difficult the infiltration of human bombs. It's easier for a child to hide in a crowd or go unnoticed through checkpoints , "he explains.
But that's not all. The UNICEF representative in Nigeria also points out that this phenomenon often "stems from indoctrination, instrumentalisation and manipulation. And sometimes these are actions that are much easier for a child than for an adult, " says Fall.
In general, UNICEF notes an increase in the number of children used in the front lines of conflict around the world. In South Sudan, more than 19,000 children were also recruited into armed groups, while more than 2,300 have been killed or injured since December 2013. Many children have also been forced into exile in the past 12 months. .
In the course of 2017, attacks on children have reached alarming proportions in conflict zones around the world, denounces Thursday the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the Kasai region, at least 850,000 children have fled because of the violence. More than 200 health centers and 400 schools were also attacked.
Source : Cameroon-Info