The U.N. children's fund says armed men in eastern Congo raped hundreds of children and recruited child soldiers at unprecedented levels as the conflict in the mineral- rich region intensified in rece

MILITIAS fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are recruiting child soldiers and raping hundreds of children, UN children’s fund Unicef said today.

UN agency says children as young as 12 are also being enlisted or coerced to join the fighting by armed groups.

The UN children’s fund on Thursday accused armed men, likely on both sides of the conflict in eastern Congo, of raping scores of children over the past weeks as rebels expand their footprint and push government forces out.

Armed men have raped dozens of children in eastern Congo over the past weeks, UNICEF says. It comes as rebels expand their footprint in the area and push government forces out. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.