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UN Official: Somalia PM Promises to Stop Using Child Soldiers

04 November 2010 04:57 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. A top United Nations official says Somaliaâ€™s new Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed is committed to eradicating the use of child soldiers, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.
U.N. special representative for children in war, Radhika Coomaraswamy, reported Wednesday on her visit this week with Mr. Mohamed in Mogadishu.
She says Mr. Mohamed calls the use of children as soldiers a terrible phenomenon.
The prime minister says his government plans to appoint an official who will work with the U.N. with the aim of signing a deal to verify the release of all child fighters.
Coomaraswamy calls the prime ministerâ€™s promises a welcome first step.
Somalia has been on a U.N. list of governments and militias who recruit child soldiers.
Coomaraswamy said she unfortunately has no access to the Islamic militant groups al-Shabab and Hizbul Islam who control much of Somalia. Both are also on the list.
She said she hopes they will abide by international humanitarian law and release all child soldiers.