Geneva – SafaUNICEF has expressed grave concern over the deadly impact of the ongoing military escalation in Iran on children, announcing that around 180 children have been killed and many more injured.The organization revealed in a statement on Friday that 168 girls were killed when an airstrike targeted the Shajarat al-Tayyiba Primary School for Girls in the city of Minab in southern Iran on February 28, while classes were in session.Reports indicated that the majority of the schoolgirls killed were between 7 and 12 years old.The organization noted the killing of 12 additional children in other schools spread across five different locations in Iran.She stressed that these injuries to children serve as a stark reminder of the brutality of war and violence against children, emphasizing that the impact of these crimes extends to entire generations.She added that children and schools are protected under international humanitarian law and must remain safe places.The organization warned that continued military strikes across the region are increasingly exposing children to violence, and that damage to basic civilian infrastructure poses a direct threat to their well-being.It reported that at least 20 schools and 10 hospitals in Iran were damaged, disrupting children’s access to education and vital health services.UNICEF urgently called on all parties to abide by their obligations under international law and ensure the protection of civilians, stressing that under international humanitarian law, “the lives and well-being of children must always be protected.”She confirmed that she continues to monitor the situation closely and stands ready to support humanitarian efforts to help children and families affected by the escalating violence. UNICEF Iran
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