World leaders are failing to protect children deliberately targeted in war, international children’s charity Unicef has warned.

In an analysis of conflicts in 18 countries over the last 12 months, Unicef has warned of the dangers millions of children around the world are facing.

Children living in countries at war have come under direct attack, including being used as human shields, killed, injured and recruited to fight. In conflicts in countries including Syria, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria rape, forced marriage and abduction have become standard tactics, says the charity.

The analysis lists the violations on children over the last 12 months. In Afghanistan, for example, at least 5,000 children have been killed in 2018, with children making up 89 per cent of civilian casualties.

In Yemen, 1,427 were children killed or maimed in attacks, the United Nations has confirmed. This includes an attack on a school bus in Sa’ada in August, which killed at least 29 children.

Unicef says that schools and hospitals in the country have come under frequent attack or been used for military purposes, denying children access to education and health care. This is on top of the malnutrition crisis which is estimated to have killed around 85,000 children since the war began in 2015.