Juba: An unidentified South Sudan armed group has abducted at least 89 boys, some as young as 13, from their homes the United Nations International Children&rsquo;s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said on Saturday.
<img title="Children soldiers" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/feb/Children-soldiers.jpg" alt="Children soldiers" /> Children soldiers sit with their rifles at a ceremony of the child soldiers disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration in Pibor, South Sudan, overseen by UNICEF and partners on February 10. pic/AFP
&ldquo;Eighty-nine children were abducted&hellip; the actual number could be much higher,&rdquo; the statement said.
The UN children&rsquo;s agency said the mass abduction happened at the start of the week in the town of Wau Shilluk.
Unidentified armed soldiers surrounded the community and went house-to-house taking away by force any boys thought to be over 12 years old. &ldquo;The recruitment and use of children by armed forces destroys families and communities,&rdquo; said Jonathan Veitch, the head of UNICEF in South Sudan.
UNICEF estimates there are at least 12,000 children used by both sides in South Sudan&rsquo;s ongoing civil war.
Recruitment of children has increased since fighting began in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy, Riek Machar, of planning a coup. War continues despite numerous ceasefire deals and with peace talks underway in Addis Ababa.

Around 12,000 children are used by both sides in South Sudan&rsquo;s ongoing civil war

89 children abducted by South Sudan militia

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89 children abducted by South Sudan militia

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