Afghan boys demobilized

Published February 20, 2004

KABUL, Feb 19: Some 159 child soldiers have been demobilized in northern Afghanistan, a United Nations official said on Thursday. The children were among 536 young people identified as possible former or current soldiers in Kunduz province, UNICEF spokesman Edward Carwardine said.

He said the majority of the children, all boys, were aged between 14 and 18 but there was no exact breakdown on their ages.

The child soldier demobilization programme began on February 10 and will expand into other northern provinces in the coming weeks. -AFP

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