Syrian children are badly traumatized from witnessing killings, torture and other atrocities (Photo: Reuters)
The United Nations says the Syrian government is responsible for "countless killings, maiming and torture" of children during the country's nearly 3-year-old conflict.
In a report detailing the impact of Syria's civil war on children, the world body also accuses the rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad of "recruiting youngsters for combat."
The report, released to the Security Council, was posted on the UN's official website Tuesday.
It highlights the treatment of children in the conflict from 1 March, 2011 to Nov. 15, 2013. The report says Syrian children have been subjected to "unspeakable suffering" during that time.
Syria's uprising against Assad's rule began with largely peaceful protests in 2011 but evolved in time into a bloody civil war that has killed more than 130,000 people, according to activists.
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