Violence against Syrian children "at its worst" in 2016: UNICEFMarch 13, 2017 - 16:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Violence against children in war-ravaged Syria was "at its worst" in 2016, the UN's children's agency said Monday, March 13, as the conflict nears its seventh year, AFP reports. UNICEF said that cases of children being killed, maimed, or recruited into armed groups were the "highest on record" last year. "The depth of suffering is unprecedented. Millions of children in Syria come under attack on a daily basis, their lives turned upside down," said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF's regional director. "Each and every child is scarred for life with horrific consequences on their health, well-being, and future," he said from the central Syrian city of Homs. UNICEF recorded the violent deaths of at least 652 children last year, a 20 percent increase from 2015, and more than 250 of the victims were killed inside or near a school. At least 850 children were recruited to fight in the conflict, including as executioners or suicide bombers -- more than double the 2015 number. Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, but morphed into a multi-front war. More than 310,000 people have been killed and millions have been forced to flee their homes. UNICEF said that 2.3 million Syrian children are living as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq. Another 280,000 still live under siege across Syria, with no access to food or medicine, it said. To cope with increasingly difficult living conditions, families inside Syria and in host nations have been forced to push their children into early marriages or child labour just to survive. "There is so much more we can and should do to turn the tide for Syria's children," said Cappelaere. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |