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| Tamil Tigers kidnap 21 children | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka have admitted kidnapping at least 21 students in the east of the country. | |
| A rebel spokesman told the BBC that junior Tiger fighters had made a "serious mistake" in taking the children from their school. | |
| Correspondents say that in the past the Tigers have always denied abducting children to use as soldiers. | |
| This year has seen a sharp increase in violence in Sri Lanka, with at least 3,400 people estimated dead. | |
| LTTE military spokesman Rasaiah Ilanthirayan told the BBC Sinhala service that the junior Tigers who abducted the children had been expelled from the movement. | |
| He said that the children were being handed back to their parents. | |
| 'Forced conscription' | 'Forced conscription' |
| Earlier, army spokesman Brig Prasad Samarasinghe told the BBC News website that the children, mostly teenage girls, were abducted in the eastern Ampara area. | |
| Tigers 'recruit children' Army 'seizes youths to fight' | Tigers 'recruit children' Army 'seizes youths to fight' |
| Brig Samarasinghe said 21 girls and three boys, all teenagers, were preparing for a school examination when they were picked up by the rebels on Monday evening. | |
| "The incident was reported to the local police. The police have informed the peace monitors and the human rights commission," he said. | "The incident was reported to the local police. The police have informed the peace monitors and the human rights commission," he said. |
| Brig Samarasinghe said the children could have been taken away for "forced conscription". | Brig Samarasinghe said the children could have been taken away for "forced conscription". |
| The issue of child recruitment has been a major point of difference between government, human rights and international organisations and the rebels. | The issue of child recruitment has been a major point of difference between government, human rights and international organisations and the rebels. |
| The Tigers have in the past denied recruiting child troops. | The Tigers have in the past denied recruiting child troops. |
| But they have been accused repeatedly of doing so by human rights groups and the UN throughout Sri Lanka's years of conflict. | But they have been accused repeatedly of doing so by human rights groups and the UN throughout Sri Lanka's years of conflict. |
| The leader of a breakaway faction of the Tigers now, Colonel Karuna, has also been accused of recruiting child soldiers. | The leader of a breakaway faction of the Tigers now, Colonel Karuna, has also been accused of recruiting child soldiers. |
| Last month, the United Nations children's agency, Unicef, said that "elements in the Sri Lankan military" were helping Col Karuna to abduct children to fight the Tamil Tigers. | Last month, the United Nations children's agency, Unicef, said that "elements in the Sri Lankan military" were helping Col Karuna to abduct children to fight the Tamil Tigers. |
| A senior UN official said there was "credible evidence" that troops had rounded up children to fight with the renegade rebel group. | A senior UN official said there was "credible evidence" that troops had rounded up children to fight with the renegade rebel group. |
| The Tamil Tigers have been fighting for independence for the 2.5m-strong minority Tamil community in the north and east of the country. s | |