UNICEF yesterday condemned the killing of children in recent attacks in northern Syria.

The UN agency said in a statement released by its regional office in Amman: “This week in Syria more than 20 children were reportedly killed in airstrikes in Manbij and a 12-year-old boy was brutally murdered on-camera in Aleppo.”

The statement quoted UNICEF representative in Syria, Hanaa Singer as saying that “such horrific incidents confront parties to this conflict with their shared responsibility to respect international humanitarian laws that protect children in war.”

“According to UN partners on the ground, families in the village of Al-Tukhar near Manbij, 80 kilometres to the east of Aleppo, were preparing to flee the village when the airstrikes hit,” she added.

UNICEF estimates that 35,000 children are trapped in and around Manbij with nowhere safe to go. In the past six weeks, and as violence has intensified, over 2,300 people were reportedly killed in the area including dozens of children.

Singer said UNICEF “deplores all forms of violence and urges all parties to the conflict in Syria to make every effort to avoid the loss of civilian lives.”

“No matter where they are in Syria or under whose control they live – absolutely nothing justifies attacks on children. All forms of violence against children must immediately come to an end.”

Source: middleeastmonitor.com