36 child soldiers demobilized in North Darfur

July 27, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – A group of 36 child soldiers who once served with a former rebel group have been demobilized in North Darfur and given assistance to return to school and their communities, the hybrid peacekeeping mission reported today.

The child soldiers are demobilized in the framework of the Darfur Child Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programme in association with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The UNAMID provided logistical support to implement it.

The Sudanese Government has also set up a three-year special education programme to help with reintegration.

The child-soldiers who were serving with the former rebel Freewill faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), received backpacks containing school and educational supplies, as well as sports equipment, as part of their reintegration packages.

They were released and demobilized in Tora, about 60 kilometres outside of the capital, El Fasher.

The programme will continue later in the week, when it is expected that 53 children will be demobilized.

There are some 2,000 children that have been identified to beneficiate from this voluntary demobilization programme.

(ST)