UNICEF warns dramatic increase in violence in Central African Republic

GENEVA - 16 Aug 2017: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Wednesday that there are an estimated 600,000 internally displaced people and out of an estimated population of a little over 5 million in the Central African Republic (CAR) half of them children.

UNICEF spokesperson Donaig Le Du said that sadly it is truer than ever as the crisis is happening very far away from the eyes of the world and the media.

Le Du pointed out that Bangui, the capital, is quiet but two-thirds of the country is controlled by armed groups, reported the UN new center website.

Due to the bad condition of its roads and the limited coverage of cell phones there, it becomes nearly impossible to travel to know what is happening there, he added.

During press conference, the spokesperson said that one specificity of the conflict in CAR is that there is very little fighting between armed groups while they attack the civilian populations on the other side.

"These past months have seen horrendous reports on children’s rights violations that children have been killed, there have been incidents of sexual violence and that recruitment into armed groups is happening" she noted.

Le Du expounded that about 2/3 of the country is controlled by armed groups especially at the southern borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo in addition to the central and northwestern areas. They are fighting for taking over natural resources there.

Since 2014, over 10,000 children have been released from armed groups. Armed groups' leaders have signed an agreement to release all children from their ranks but with the new wave of violence, recruiting new children as combatants has been continued, she added.

UNICEF urges all armed groups to be committed to the agreements, release children and stop recruiting them.