'If you are afraid, the commander will beat you': UN says South Sudan government is recruiting hundreds of child soldiers

South Sudan's government is recruiting child soldiers in the past week to prepare for a renewed conflict, according to an internal United Nations document. The document, seen by the Associated Press, says a senior politician appointed by President Salva ......

South Sudan's government is recruiting child soldiers in the past week to prepare for a renewed conflict, according to an internal United Nations document.

The document, seen by the Associated Press, says a senior politician appointed by President Salva Kiir led the recruitment of an entire village of boys as young as 12 using intimidation. 

One boy told a UN investigator: 'I was not happy because I was given a gun when I was so young (but) if you are afraid, the commander will beat you.'

UNICEF also said today at least 650 children have joined armed groups in South Sudan this year alone. 

Armed groups in South Sudan often coerce children to join their ranks by threatening to confiscate their family's cattle, a key source of wealth and status in a largely pastoral society.

The UN document says the recruitment of children took place last week, shortly after the UN Security Council approved sending an additional 4,000 peacekeepers to the country to protect civilians after renewed fighting in the capital, Juba, last month.

South Sudan became independent in 2011 after a decades-long war to free the largely Christian and animist population from the Muslim-run government of Sudan. 

But soon after the President Salva Kiir, who is from the Dinka tribe, began clashing with his Vice President, Riek Machar, who comes from the rival Nuer tribe. 

Tens of thousands of people in South Sudan's civil war and, despite a ceasefire last month, tensions are rising again after President Kiir removed Machar as Vice President. 

UNICEF said around 16,000 child soldiers have been recruited since civil war began in December 2013.

Army spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang said youths who join the military are not forced. 

He said he was not aware of the recent recruitment of children.

South Sudan's military and opposition forces have made repeated promises to address allegations of child recruitment, but both sides have continued recruiting since July's outbreak of violence, according to Justin Forsyth, UNICEF's deputy executive director.

'They believe they can easily control and manipulate young minds,' Forsyth said. The children then 'can commit atrocities, and they will do what they are told.'

Child soldiers are defined as anyone recruited to join armed groups under the age of 18, and the International Criminal Court considers the recruitment of those under 15 to be a war crime.

In an interview this month in Unity state, one former child soldier said he had expected to do cooking and cleaning in the army when he joined at age 16 but instead was sent to fight on the front lines.

'If you go to the front line, two things would happen: either you will kill someone or you will be killed,' he said.

He was released from the army a few months ago, one of more than 1,000 child soldiers who have been demobilised from different armed groups as part of a UNICEF program.

Since the outbreak of civil war, children have been recruited at an expedited rate to protect their communities, according to Joseph Manytuel, the governor of Northern Leich state.

Last year President Barack Obama issued a partial waiver to South Sudan from the Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008, allowing the U.S. to continue military assistance to support South Sudan's peace process.