Myanmar army releases more than 100 child soldiers ‎

Myanmar's army released 109 children from its military ranks on Thursday in its single biggest ‎discharge of child soldiers, but boys are still being illegally recruited from poor families, the United ‎Nations said.  Myanmar has for years been listed among countries where children have been recruited to ‎fight - both by government forces and rebels.  The military ran the country for 49 years and was ‎condemned internationally for human rights abuses including the use of child soldiers.  Bertrand ‎Bainvel, head of the U.N. Children's Fund in Myanmar, said the military wants to professionalise its ‎ranks and the presence of child soldiers may block military cooperation with countries that could ‎provide assistance.  A reformist, semi-civilian government that took over in 2011 has been working with ‎the United Nations to get children out of the military.  It has released 472 children since June 2012 ‎including Thursday's discharge, which was the largest yet, according to the United Nations.  Bainvel ‎said the release demonstrated Myanmar military’s commitment to have the practice eradicated from its ‎ranks.    However,  Bainvel noted that recruitment continues at a decreased rate and that most young ‎recruits come from poor families seeking the income that a son in the army can provide.  ‎(Source: Reuter)