The South Sudan Commission in charge of demobilizing former soldiers is targeting to reintegrate 1200 child soldiers in civilian life.
Three hundred child soldiers have already been demobilized since the beginning of the year.Oluku Andrew Holt is Child Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration coordinator. He told SCR News that most child soldiers are in SPLA forces in Greater Bahr-el-Ghazal and Upper Nile.
He added that child soldiers at the age of nineteen can be demobilized if they express their interest to leave the army.
Mr. Oluku explained that poverty is the major challenge to demobilize children since most of them get food in the army.
Demobilized child soldiers were encouraged to go to school.
UNICEF takes care of the school requirements.
Mr. Oluku noted that the SPLA has no female child soldiers since all of them were demobilized earlier.
He added that by the end of this year the south Sudan army should be free of child soldiers.