UNITED NATIONS: The United nations has confirmed that "54 egregious crimes against 49 children" in war conditions in India, said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who also raised alarm over the recruitment of boys by terrorist organisations in Kashmir in 2021.

According to a report on children and armed conflict that was published on Monday, security forces detained 33 boys in Kashmir for allegedly being associated with "armed groups" (a euphemism for terrorist organisations) or on the basis of national security.

The report said that the Central Reserve Police Force's pellet guns were used by security personnel to wound 19 people, kill five children, and maim 29 others. Four children were killed by "unnamed offenders," seven by "armed groups and unidentified perpetrators" in crossfire, and four by shelling that occurred outside the line of control. The report also said that two teachers were killed by terrorists in Srinagar.

In providing a worldwide overview, Virginia Gamba, Guterres' Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict, stated that in the 21 countries and regions we studied, there were "almost 19,100 child victims of grave violations throughout 2021."

"The legal and administrative framework for the protection of children and improved access to child protection services in Chhattisgarh, Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir, and also progress toward the establishment of a Jammu and Kashmir commission for the protection of children's rights," said Guterres.

Guterres highlights cities' role in sustainable development

Food, fuel crisis focuses at West Asia Quad summit: US

Italy's economy hampered by Ukraine crisis, inflation