BEIRUT — Syria’s 10-year-long civil war has killed or wounded almost 12,000 children and left millions out of school in what could have repercussions for years to come in the country, the U.N. children’s agency said Wednesday.

Who is killing Syrian kids?

Independent observers say the real number may be over 600,000, the vast majority killed by Syrian government forces that were called on by the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad to crush pro-democracy protests that broke out in 2011.

How many Syrians have died?

At least 350,209 people have been killed in 10 years of war in Syria, the UN says in its first official death toll since 2014. Its human rights chief cautioned the figure is “certainly an under-count of the actual number of killings”.

Are there child soldiers in Syria?

Child soldiers in Syria have been used as human shields, suicide bombers, front-line soldiers and as guards at checkpoints. Between 2015 and 2016, the number of armed children in the Syrian civil war verified by the U.N. was 851, more than double from the year before. In Syria, ISIS had kidnapped 463 children in 2015.

How many children have died in the Syrian refugee crisis?

Violence: Since the Syrian civil war began, over 606,000 people have been killed, including more than 25,000 children, reports the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The war has become deadlier since foreign powers joined the conflict.

Why is Syria at war?

The war started in 2011, when Syrians enraged by corruption and emboldened by a wave of “Arab Spring” protests across the region took to the streets to demand democratic accountability for their leaders. The chaos of the war allowed ISIS, al Qaeda and other terror groups to seize more than 70% of Syria’s territory.

Are there still child soldiers today?

Despite global efforts to end the use of child soldiers, girls and boys are still forced into combat – as fighters and in other roles – in at least 14 countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Somalia. Tens of thousands of children are estimated to be recruited and used by armed groups.