Abducted children reunited with family in Central African Republic
Four children – two girls and two boys – were reunited with their father by officials from UNICEF and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA), after being abducted by a militia, during which time they were threatened to be killed.
After their abduction on 24 February in Bangui, the siblings – aged between 3 and 13 years – were held for a ransom by a militia. Following the negotiation for their release – in which no ransom was paid – the four children were handed over to UNICEF and UN-OCHA on 26 February and received psychological support immediately from a partner organisation.
“These abducted children have been through some terrifying days,” said Abdou Dieng, the UN’s Senior Humanitarian Coordinator in CAR. “Their mother died recently, and then they were taken away from their father. Now they are safe.”
UNICEF is concerned that child abduction may pose a growing threat to children affected by conflict in the Central African Republic, particularly those who have been separated from their families.
“Child abduction would represent a new and disturbing deterioration in the conflict,” said UNICEF Central African Republic Representative, Souleymane Diabaté. “This incident illustrates how the rights of children are being violated and why children continue to be the most vulnerable in the Central African Republic crisis.”
UNICEF calls on the authorities to do all they can to prevent and investigate any attack against children, and bring perpetrators to justice.
Source: United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund
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