At least 114 children killed by Myanmar military since 2021 coup: UN Spokesman

The Myanmar security forces have killed at least 114 children since the military takeover a year ago, including 18 children killed in January alone, United Nations spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Monday.

"Since the military takeover last February 1, at least 114 children between the ages of three and 17 have been killed by the security forces, including at least 18 children in January alone," Sputnik News Agency reported Haq as saying.

The UN spokesperson said the number of injured children has been significantly larger. Haq reminded the country's security forces of their obligations to uphold children's rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Myanmar signed in 2019.

On February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military seized control of the country in a coup, prompting nationwide protests. The military said it had to act because of election fraud committed by the ruling party and placed senior officials, including the democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi, under arrest.

More than 1,000 civilians have been killed by Myanmar security forces with thousands of others arrested, according to the United Nations, amid a crackdown on strikes and protests which has derailed the country's tentative democracy and prompted international condemnation.

In a recent update, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said the conflict has intensified over the past month, with increased reports of army raids across Myanmar, especially in the northwest and southeast regions.

( With inputs from ANI )

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