UN concerned over child rights violations in Afghanistan

The UN has expressed concern over violation of children's rights, including their recruitment by armed groups, in Afghanistan.

The UN Secretary-General's Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict said 97 boys, some as young as eight years, were reportedly recruited by militant groups, including the Taliban, to fight and even conduct suicide attacks, Xinhua reported.

"In one incident, in May 2013, a 15-year-old boy conducted a suicide attack against an Afghan Local Police (ALP) commander in Muqur District, Ghazni Province, killing three ALP officers, two civilians, and injuring 16 people," the report said.

Children have also been recruited to manufacture and plant improvised explosive devices (IEDs), as combatants, and for other roles, including as sex slaves, the report said.

However, the Taliban has rejected these allegations.

At least 545 children were killed and 1,149 injured in 790 documented incidents, the report added.