A media report indicates that children in South Sudan are being forced to fight on both sides of the government and the SPLA in Opposition forces.

The report by the BBC says the United Nations Mission estimates that there are 11,000 child soldiers in the country, and some boys as young as eight, are recruited by the warring parties.

However, the SPLA spokesperson, Colonel Philip Aguer, says South Sudan respects child rights. He says they don’t recruit anybody who is below 18 years.

He stated that there are 149 children who were observed on the side of the government forces in Unity State capital, Bentiu as part of integration of forces from the other armed groups.

He says the SPLA Child Protection Unit together with UNMISS will ensure that the 149 boys are demobilized and released from the Army.

“The recruitment of child soldier and anybody that is below 18 years is not allowed by the laws of the SPLA and the laws of the Government of South Sudan and for that matter, we are complying with the international norms of respecting the child right,” he told Eye Radio.

“SPLA chief of staff has ordered punitive order at the beginning of the year to penalize any commander that will recruit a child soldier.

“We will go to the field so that those 149 are immediately demobilized and released from the Army.”

There were no comments from the SPLA-in Opposition forces regarding this report.