Syria's permanent envoy to the U.N., Bashar al-Jaafari has lashed out at the U.N. saying it had stood by while the world watched crimes committed by the armed terrorist groups against children in Syria, after a report was issued about the use of child soldiers.
He pointed out that while the world had witnessed the crimes of armed terrorist groups, it had taken the U.N. two years to issue its report recognizing their recruitment of children into their ranks.
"The Syrian government is committed to protecting its citizens, particularly children. Any violation of their safety and security will be subject to measures of strict accountability," Jaafari said during a U.N. Security Council session held to discuss recruitment of children in armed conflicts.
"For the first time, the report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Leila Zerrougui, mentioned the crimes and violations of the armed terrorist groups, particularly recruiting children," he said.
"We regret that it took the special representative more than two years to recognize that."
As for killing and mutilating children, Jaafari said the world witnessed a series of appalling crimes committed by the armed terrorist groups against children since the beginning of the crisis. He pointed out examples, including the death of a 14-year-old boy, Mohammad Qatta, who was executed after being lashed and tortured in front of his parents, by a fundamentalist terrorist group affiliated with the Nusra Front, who accused him of blasphemy.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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