About 1,300 children were recruited by armed groups in 2016,

On 16.12.2016. Juba. About 1,300 children were recruited by armed groups in 2016, bringing the total number of children used in the South Sudanese conflict since 2013 to more than 17,000, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday. "Since the first day of this conflict, children have been the ones most devastatingly affected by the violations," Ms. Leila Gharagozloo-Pakkala, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa said in a statement."Now, as the fighting intensifies and despite repeated pledges by all to end child recruitment, children are once again being targeted,” she added.