Tibetan teens set fire to themselves

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BEIJING, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- A double self-immolation in southwestern China has claimed the lives of two Tibetan teenagers, human rights groups say.

The two, residents of a Tibetan area of Sichuan province, set fire to themselves to protest Chinese rule, Antara News Agency reported.

The victims were 18-year-old Donam Dargye and a 17-year-old identified only as Rinchen.

Since 2009, more than 100 people have set themselves on fire to protest China's rule over Tibet. The International Campaign for Tibet said at least 22 of the self-immolations involved people younger than 19.

"Tibet's children face all the challenges of life under oppression and are often full participants in the struggle to resist it," said Stephanie Brigden of the rights group Free Tibet.