Children used as Human Shields in Syria

A new UN report published today provides further evidence of the horrific treatment of children in the Syrian conflict. It includes testimonies of children who had been tortured and in some cases, of children being put on tanks to use as human shields so the tanks would not be fired upon.

The UN's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy said that the conflict was 'quite extraordinary' in its brutal targeting of children. In other conflicts children are often caught up in the crossfire, but the torture and murder of children is something else entirely.

The news from Syria is becoming increasingly hard to watch - especially because there doesn't seem to be a solution or effective ceasefire in sight. With the country teetering on the edge of an all-out civil war, the conflict may yet escalate and drag in some of Syria's neighbours.

With access to Syria severely limited and very insecure, we've set up a project to help Syrian children whose families have escaped as refugees over the border into Lebanon. From them we've heard stories of the convoys of people being shelled with artillery as they tried to leave the country. Find out more about our project for Syrian children here.