The United Nations on Monday welcomed the release of 42 child-soldiers by Burma’s armed forces, but urged the country’s military to discharge all remaining underage soldiers serving in its ranks. “We expect the Tatmadaw [armed forces] will now be in a position to speed up the release of all children,” said UN Resident Coordinator Ashok Nigam in a statement. In 2012, Burma’s government signed an agreement with the UN pledging to find and discharge all children recruited into the military. Between April 2009 and December 2012, the International Labor Organization verified 770 cases of underage recruitment—a figure that child advocates say is likely far lower than the actual number.
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