Syria's children recruited by armed groups

Children in Syria are increasingly being recruited by armed groups on both sides of the conflict, Save the Children says in a report. They are being used as porters, guards, informers and fighters and, sometimes, as human shields, the charity said in Childhood Under Fire. Save the Children organisation say that the number of exploited children in Syria is estimated at two million, adding that they are in great need of assistance. The risk of disease is high as many of them are living in unsanitary conditions and have lost access to healthcare. Their families are struggling for food as prices became beyond the poorer families' reach due to shortages. Save the Children say the two-year conflict has affected all aspects of their lives. Syria's children education has been disrupted as some 2,000 schools have either been damaged by the fighting or become temporary shelters for displaced people. They are what the report says the conflict's "forgotten victims - facing death, trauma and suffering, and deprived of basic humanitarian aid", appealing to international help. But Save the Children also said that "the only way to stop their suffering is to bring an end to the war."