An armed group in South Sudan released 119 child soldiers on Tuesday, according to the United Nations Children’s fund UNICEF.
Forty eight of the children released by the South Sudan National Liberation Movement are girls and the youngest child is only 10 years old, UNICEF said.
Tuesday’s release, which coincides with the ‘International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers’ took place in the south-western town of Yambio and brings the total number of child soldiers freed from armed groups over the past six years to more than 3,100.
The children received fresh clothes, shoes and will be provided with three years of integration support to help them return to civilian life and prevent re-recruitment.
The agency added that many of the children had been kidnapped by militia groups, while others had joined due to economic hardship and social pressure.
Troops kill 58 bandits, lose two men Child soldiers are used as fighters, cooks, porters, messengers and spies and are also subjected to sexual exploitation.