By Parach Mach
JUBA, South Sudan (AA) – At least 207 child soldiers are being released in South Sudan, the third largest such release in 2018, the UN Children's Fund said on Tuesday.
According to UNICEF, over 19,000 children are thought to have been recruited by all sides since the civil war began five years ago.
“The released children will be reunified with their families and will be given months' worth of food assistance and psychosocial support, along with the opportunity to go to school,” said UNICEF in a statement.
In the latest release in February, 311 child soldiers were let go.
South Sudan erupted into civil war in 2013, just two years after declaring its independence from the north. The ongoing conflict has left tens of thousands of people dead and created a humanitarian crisis as nearly 4 million people fled their homes.
Multiple attempts to end the ruinous civil war have failed and fighting has continued.
Fresh talks to revitalize a shattered 2015 peace deal are due to resume in Ethiopia on April 26 between several opposition groups and the government.
