United Nations, July 7 (IANS) The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has reported that an alarming number of children continue to be recruited by Malian armed rebels, Xinhua has reported a UN spokesman as saying here.

UNICEF says that armed rebel groups controlling large parts of northern Mali are recruiting child soldiers into their ranks, UN spokesperson Eduardo del Buey told reporters Friday during a daily news briefing. It says that at least 175 boys aged between 12 and 18 years have been recruited.

UNICEF also says that insecurity in the region has forced an estimated 30,000 children out of schools, making them more vulnerable of being recruited and exploited.

Most recently, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution in full support of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) in their efforts to restore democracy in Mali, which experienced a military coup March 22.

The UN also took action to prevent further recruitment of child soldiers in Myanmar and Somalia.