Alarm grows over use of child soldiers

Opposition and pro-government militias are recruiting child soldiers as the Central African Republic faces a rebellion in the north, the United Nations warned. FULL STORY

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  Alarm grows over use of child soldiers in Central African Republic crisis

  By Faith Karimi, CNN

  January 5, 2013 -- Updated 1114 GMT (1914 HKT)
  
  Chadian soldiers, part of a convoy of the FOMAC multinational force of central African states, near Damara on January 2, 2013.
  STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • U.N. says armed groups are forcing children to fight and serve as sex slaves
  • Both opposition and pro-government militias are recruiting child soldiers, it says
  • Rebels stage attacks in the nation and demand the president's resignation
  • The president appeals for international help to stave off rebel advances
  (CNN) -- Opposition and pro-government militias are recruiting child soldiers as the Central African Republic faces a rebellion in the north, the United Nations warned.
  
  Rebels demanding the resignation of President Francois Bozize have seized various towns and threatened to head to the capital of Bangui.
  As the government scrambles to quash the rebellion, alarm is growing as children are separated from their relatives.
  "Reliable sources have informed us that children are newly being recruited among their ranks. These reports are of serious concern," said Souleymane Diabate, the U.N. children agency's representative in the nation.
  Armed groups are forcing children under age 18 to fight, carry supplies and serve as sex slaves, the agency said Friday.
  Before the conflict started last month, 2,500 children were linked to various armed groups. That number is expected to rise as the recent conflict continues, officials said.
  About 300,000 children have been affected by the rebellion, including family separation, sexual violence, displacement and lack of access to education and health facilities.
  The crisis started in December, when a coalition of rebel forces, known as Seleka, accused the president of reneging on a peace deal and demanded that he step down. They seized towns in the north and threatened to march to the capital, although they appear to have halted their advance.
  Regional leaders met in Gabon this week to try and bring both sides to the table.
  A meeting between the president and the rebel group might take place next week, according to the Central African Republic's ministry of territorial administration.
  Bozize has called on the international community, including the United States and France, to help stave off the rebellion.
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