U.N. report details child abuses by Syria rebels, government troops

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Western-backed opposition groups in Syria are recruiting refugee children in neighbouring countries and Syrian government forces are detaining and torturing children with rebel links, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said in a report on Tuesday.

The report found that in the early stages of the nearly three-year conflict, the Syrian government troops were largely responsible for grave violations against children; then, as the conflict intensified and armed opposition became more organized they committed an increasing number of child abuses.