More than 1,000 children have been recruited by armed forces and armed groups in the country in 2016, the United Nations children’s agency has said.

Unicef says this brings to more than 17,000 the total number of children used in the conflict since 2013.

In a statement, UNICEF says since November, the UN has documented at least 50 children who were abducted and recruited in the Greater Upper Nile region, with unverified reports that an additional 50 children may have been recruited in the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region.

“Since the first day of this conflict, children have been the ones most devastatingly affected by the violations,” said UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Leila Gharagozloo-Pakkala.

“Now, as the fighting intensifies – and despite repeated pledges by all to end child recruitment – children are once again being targeted.”

UNICEF said together with partners, it documented that since 2013, 2,342 children were killed or maimed, 3,090 abducted and 1,130 sexually assaulted.

South Sudanese authorities are yet to comment on the child allegations.

The children agency said due to insecurity in some parts of the country, and economic crisis and that together with partners it has admitted 184,000 children for treatment of severe malnutrition. That is 50 percent higher than the number treated last year and an increase of 135 percent over 2014.

Ms Gharagozloo-Pakkala said the children of South Sudan must no longer live under constant fear of hunger or conflict.

She said they need sustained peace, care and support.