UN official mourns six children killed in Afghanistan

The senior United Nations official concerned with children’s welfare during war expressed deep concern today about a second killing of children over the weekend by US-led Coalition forces in Afghanistan and urged the Coalition to “take measures to ensure fuller protection of children and prevent the occurrence of this kind of tragedies in the future.”

The senior United Nations official concerned with children’s welfare during war expressed deep concern today about a second killing of children over the weekend by United States-led Coalition forces in Afghanistan and urged the Coalition to “take measures to ensure fuller protection of children and prevent the occurrence of this kind of tragedies in the future.”

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, said the deaths of six children in Gardez, southwest of Kabul, took place on Friday. They were disclosed today.

On Saturday Coalition forces killed nine children in an air strike on the village of Petaw, Mr. Otunnu said.

“Children deserve special protection by all parties in situations of armed conflict,” he added.

Mr. Otunnu previously welcomed the Coalition’s statement that it was investigating the deaths of the nine children, apparently as a result of an air strike targeting a Taliban leader, and he called for a full investigation of Friday’s deaths.