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| Africa Horn | |
| UN envoy decries use of child soldiers by Somali militants | |
| 2016-03-28 | |
The UN top envoy for Somalia has decried the use of child soldiers by the Islamist Al-Shabaab militant in their attacks in the Horn of Africa nation.
Keating said the blatant deployment of children by Al-Shabaab extremists is an outrage that warrants special condemnation. “These children need support, and it is imperative that all feasible steps be taken to rehabilitate them and eventually reunite them with their families,” Keating said. The UN envoy said these children are among dozens of extremists who were captured in coastal areas of Puntland and have been subsequently moved to the state capital of Garowe. Keating said the UN has entered into constructive discussions with Puntland authorities about making the necessary arrangements for ensuring proper treatment of these children in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian laws. “Positive actions taken in this regard will demonstrate the authorities’ commitment to the obligations assumed by Somalia when it ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in January 2015,” he said. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |