in the last 5 1/2 years as a result of airstrikes, shelling, fighting, suicide attacks, mines and other unexploded ordnance, according to a U.N. report released Friday.
The report by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the killings and injuries were among 11,779 grave violations against children during the period between April 1, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2018.
It said the figures are likely to be worse because monitoring Yemen has become increasingly difficult.
Virginia Gamba, the U.N. special representative for children in conflict, said that while some positive measures have been adopted by the warring parties, “the suffering of children in Yemen has worsened during the reporting period, becoming simply appalling.”
“The children of Yemen had nothing to do with the start of this conflict,” she said. “They should now be given the opportunity to exit from it and be assisted to fully recover.”
Gamba called on all parties to the conflict and those who can influence them to “prioritize peace and actively engage in the ongoing peace negotiations.”
According to the report, the largest number of violations against children in the 5 1/2 years were the 7,508 youngsters who were verified to have been killed or maimed.
