The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that, following the escalation of the conflict in Iran, approximately 180 children have been killed and many others injured. The information is presented in a statement issued by UNICEF for the Middle East and North Africa region, reports IPN.
According to the organization, the majority of victims – 168 girls – lost their lives in an attack on the “Shajareh Tayyebeh” Primary Girls School in the city of Minab, located in southern Iran, on February 28. According to available information, most of the children killed were aged between 7 and 12 years old.
UNICEF states that another 12 children have been killed in attacks on other educational institutions in five different locations in Iran. The organization emphasizes that these losses represent “a painful reminder of the brutality of war and violence against children”, having effects that can mark families and communities for entire generations.
According to the preliminary data cited, at least 20 schools and 10 hospitals would have been damaged as a result of the military strikes in Iran.
UNICEF reminds that, according to international humanitarian law, children and educational institutions must be protected and remain safe places. The organization calls on all parties involved in the conflict to respect their international obligations and ensure the protection of civilians.
The conflict in the Middle East has entered its seventh day of military action, significantly escalating following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in an American-Israeli operation. As a result, large-scale reciprocal attacks have been launched between Iran, Israel, and the United States, with confrontations including strikes on strategic infrastructure and waves of rockets and drones in several states in the region.
