In a new report issued on Tuesday, Ban Ki-moon say Child recruitment and use of children in armed conflict is taking place in more than a dozen countries around the world.

According to the report, "The practice continues in Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, the Central African Republic (CAR), Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Somalia, Sudan, Sri Lanka and Uganda".

The UN Secretary-General's latest report on children and armed conflict, covering the period from October 2006 to August 2007 state details of children at war.

child soldiers in Sri Lanka

According to the information received by UNICEF, in the period between October 2006 to August 2007, Tamil Tigers had recruited or re-recruited 339 children. It says that 41% of them were from Batticaloa.

"Among the 6,221 children registered on the UNICEF database as having been recruited since 2001, 1,469 cases remain outstanding, including 335 chidren under 18 as at August 2007". The report says.

UNICEF has also received confirmed reports that 246 children had been recruited or re-recruited by Karuna group during the reporting period.

Regarding specific issues of concern, the Secretary-General points to the close link between child recruitment and internal displacement, noting that the lack of security around refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) camps and the “convenient concentration of vulnerable children” make these camps “prime recruiting grounds.”

Karuna faction recruiting in IDP camps

Ban Ki-moon also accuses the Karuna faction of such activities. "There have been reports that the Karuna faction have abducted and recruited children from IDP camps in Sri Lanka, while in the DRC, children have been recruited from camps in North Kivu Province by forces loyal to rebel leader Laurent Nkunda".

Another concern is the escalation in “systematic and deliberate attacks on schoolchildren, teachers and school buildings” in certain conflict situations, including Afghanistan and Iraq, which warrants increased attention and action by the global community, the Secretary-General states.

War Criminals to International courts

Report says, "according verified reports, 46 children were killed and 79 maimed owing to the conflict".

It also blames for Sri Lanka Military and the Tamil Tigers for bombing and shelling of schools and the death and injury of students and teachers.

Mr. Ban says the Security Council should consider a range of measures, including bans on military aid and travel restrictions on leaders, targeting parties to armed conflict who continue to systematically commit grave violations against children.

He also encourages the Council to refer violations against children in armed conflict to the International Criminal Court (ICC). In this regard, he points to “important precedents” set to end impunity for crimes against children.