Armed conflicts killed 500 Iraqi children in 2008

Around 500 children have died in Iraq throughout the past year as a result of armed operations, the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights revealed on Sunday. "The situation of Iraqi children is deteriorating, despite considerable government efforts in this regard," a ministry statement received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency quoted Human Rights Minister Wijdan Salim as saying. The minister called on state institutions, civil society organizations and the ministries of education and health to put in a great deal of effort to assist Iraqi children.