Boys castrated and girls gang-raped in South Sudan

At least 129 children were killed, with boys castrated and girls raped and some victims thrown to their deaths into burning buildings, during a government offensive against rebels last month in South Sudan, according to the UN children’s agency.

South Sudanese military spokesman Colonel Philip Aguer questioned the credibility of the report, saying it is not in South Sudanese culture to commit such atrocities and has called for a full investigation.

Unicef executive director Anthony Lake said survivors reported that boys were castrated and left to bleed to death, while girls were gang-raped and killed.