KHARTOUM, Sudan, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- A breakaway militia in Darfur submitted orders to its fighters to prohibit the use of child soldiers within its ranks, the U.N. mission there reported.
The African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, or UNAMID, said the head of the breakaway Sudan Liberation Army's Historical Leadership agreed, following discussions with the mission, to prohibit the use of child soldiers.
Usman Musa, the group's leader, in August issued orders to his soldiers to end "all behavior" that leads to the abuse of children and banned "recruiting and using children in the ranks of the movement."
Other armed movements in Darfur are moving toward similar action, UNAMID said.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his latest report on child soldiers, listed 15 groups that recruit children to fight in Darfur.
The measure comes as Human Rights Watch rapped Washington for issuing waivers on child conscription laws to Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad to facilitate military aid.
U.S. Rep Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., author of the 2007 Child Soldiers Prevent Act, introduced a measure before the House of Representatives that would strengthen the U.S. policy regarding child soldiers.
The measure calls on U.S. President Barack Obama to notify lawmakers 15 days before issuing another waiver for countries known to have conscripted child soldiers.
"This is the law of the land," Fortenberry said in a statement. "We are obligated to stop underwriting this form of human trafficking, child conscription."
