Children Beheaded In Central Africa Fighting; 'Unprecedented' Levels Of Violence Being Committed Against Youngsters

At least two children have been beheaded in the fighting which has gripped the Central African Republic, the UN agency for children said Monday, adding "unprecedented" levels of violence were being committed against youngsters, Agence France-Presse reported.

Of the two children beheaded, one had also been mutilated, UNICEF said. Since the outbreak of fighting in early December, the deaths of at least 16 children and 60 injured could be verified.

"We are witnessing unprecedented levels of violence against children," said Souleymasne Diabate, UNICEF representative in Central Africa. "More and more children are being recruited into armed groups, and they are also being directly targeted in atrocious revenge attacks. Targeted attacks against children are a violation of international humanitarian and human rights law and must stop immediately."

Some 1,000 people are dead and hundreds of thousands of others have been displaced between the conflict of Christians and Muslims since the past three weeks.

Since a March coup by mostly Muslim Seleka rebels who installed Michel Djotodia as president, French and African troops are struggling to contain the unrest which has wracked the majority Christian country, AFP reported.

According to AFP, Djotodia has officially dissolved Seleka, but has been unable to control the fighters who swept him to power, as the country descends further into sectarian violence.

Children forced into fighting by both sides in the conflict should be immediately disarmed and be protected from any reprisals, UNICEF said. It also called for centers to be established for the "reintegration" of children as well as protect those still at risk.

The claims by UNICEF came as figure released by Doctors Without Borders showed they had treated more than 1,000 people in the capital Bangui throughout December, AFP reported.

"We have also seen the arrival of people who have been tortured or brutally beaten," a UNICEF statement read. "We also saw one case where a person had been impaled."

A high-level meeting on events in the Central African Republic will be held by the European Union on Monday. The meeting would take place on January 20, AFP reported. The UN and donor countries, including former colonial power France, would be invited to attend the meeting aimed at easing the "humanitarian tragedy", said aid commissioner Kristalina Georgieva.