41 child suicide bombers intercepted

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Afghan police have intercepted 41 children they suspect insurgents planned to use as suicide bombers, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry said Tuesday.

The children, ages 6 to 11, where allegedly being smuggled into the mountains of Pakistan by suspected insurgents, Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Seddiqi said.

"We strongly believe that the children were being taken to Pakistan to be trained, brainwashed and sent back as Afghan enemies," he said. "The insurgents cheat poor and ordinary Afghans and take away their children."

Police rescued the children in the Watapur district of Kunar province and took them back to their families Friday, CNN reported.