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RUF frees another 131 child soldiers

    ABIDJAN

    Some 131 former child soldiers, including two girls, have been been handed over to the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) in the eastern town of Tongo, in Kono District.

    UNAMSIL reported on Friday that the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) handed over the children to Force Commander Lt-Gen Daniel Opande. They were flown to the eastern town of Kenema, where UNAMSIL placed them in the care of child protection agencies.

    At the ceremony, UNAMSIL’s child protection adviser, Bituin Gonzalez, appealed to the RUF to release many more girls still in custody, so that they can enjoy equal opportunities with their male counterparts.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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