Starvation, disease and a lack of aid are killing 300 babies a day in warzones around the world, with the number of children caught up in conflicts nearing a 30-year high, Save the Children said on Friday. In all, more than 500,000 babies died during the period from the knock-on effects of conflict - hunger, hospital attacks and reduced aid - according to the data, which excludes those killed in attacks. “From Yemen to Syria and South Sudan, children are bearing the horror of armed conflict,” said Kevin Watkins, head of Save the Children, in a statement. Children there are at risk of malnutrition, diarrhoea, cholera, and diphtheria - a disease that spreads as easily as the common cold, said Save the Children. “The war on children must end, and those who commit crimes against children will be held to account,” he added.–Reuters

Source: The Irish Times February 15, 2019 08:03 UTC