United Nations Children’s Fund or UNICEF welcomed ‘Cobra Faction’ of David Yau Yau’s gesture of releasing the final group of 283 children in Labrab village of Greater Pibor Administrative Area in Jonglei State.
UNICEF in a statement on Friday says the 282 boys and one girl by ‘Cobra Faction’ brings the number of children released this year to 1,757.
UNICEF’s South Sudan Representative Jonathan Veitch expresses pleasure to have seen the process through, emphasizing that the children must be reunited with their families to begin rebuilding their lives.
He expresses extreme concerned about the welfare of children recently recruited around Malakal in Upper Nile State, given the recent upsurge in fighting in the area, calling for their immediate release.
Mr Veitch pledges UNNICEF’s continuous readiness to provide all necessary support for their demobilization.
During the release ceremony, the children handed in their weapons and uniforms in exchange for civilian clothes.
The boys and the one girl will stay at the interim care centre and get food, shelter, medical and psychosocial support until their families are traced and they can return home.