Over 150 Children Killed In Mali In 2019 Amid Surge Of Violence - UNICEF

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2019) The number of grave violations against children in Mali has seen a steep rise in 2019, marking more than 150 killed to date, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a press release on Tuesday.

"There has been a sharp increase in grave violations committed against children in 2019 in Mali, particularly in killing and maiming," the release said. "Preliminary data recorded by the United Nations show that more than 150 children were killed in the first half of 2019 and 75 were injured in violent attacks."

UNICEF said the spread of violence in Mali caused more than 900 schools to remain closed. In addition, some 377,000 children are currently in need of assistance amid the intensification of inter-communal violence and the presence of armed groups in northern and central Mali.

According to UNICEF, the surge of hostilities had deteriorated humanitarian assistance to an estimated 3.4 million Malians who are facing severe food scarcity.

In 2018, the UN Human Rights Office reported an escalation of inter-communal violence in the Mopti region between the Dogon and Fulani ethnic groups. The two groups, which have traditionally settled their disputes through mediation, have accused the other of having ties with the al-Qaeda terrorist group (banned in Russia) that has been operating in the region since 2012.