Afghan President denounces using children as suicide bombers

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday met with 20 children who had been recruited by anti- government militants to conduct suicide attacks but had been arrested by security forces before committing suicide bombings.

Condemning using children as suicide bombers an "act against Islam, violation of human rights and oppressing children," Karzai said that militants fighting the Afghan government are trying to bring suicide bombers and destroy the country.

Sitting in a courtyard of his Palace, President Karzai personally asked each of the teen ages 6 to 18 the reason for driving him to become suicide bombers.

One of the children said, "Taliban recruited me and told me to carry out suicide attack in Afghanistan and straight go to Paradise."

President Karzai also ordered his aides to help the detained children get education, find home or be released to their families.

Taliban militants fighting Afghan and NATO-led troops often rely on deadly suicide attacks and roadside bombings.

In the latest waves of the deadly suicide attacks, the Taliban militants stormed British cultural center or the British Council in Kabul on August 19, leaving eight people dead and injuring 10 others.