Escalating violence in the Central African Republic is posing a threat to children , with at least two beheaded and thousands recruited as soldiers , the United Nations said . The United Nations says it verified the deaths of 16 children since violence broke out in the capital of Bangui on December 5 . Dozens of others have been injured . `` We are witnessing unprecedented levels of violence against children . More and more children are being recruited into armed groups , and they are also being directly targeted in atrocious revenge attacks , '' said Souleymane Diabate , UNICEF representative in the nation . Number of child soldiers doubles . Late last year , the U.N. said the number of child soldiers in the nation had doubled to 6,000 as violence escalated . `` Targeted attacks against children are a violation of international humanitarian and human rights law and must stop immediately . Concrete action is needed now to prevent violence against children , '' Diabate said . In the capital , 370,000 people -- about half the population -- have been displaced , the United Nations said . More than 935,000 people have been internally displaced nationwide , the U.N. refugee agency said on Friday . Chaos , violence . The nation plunged into chaos after a coalition of rebels named Seleka ousted President Francois Bozize in March , the latest in a series of coups since the nation gained independence . They accused him of reneging on a peace deal and demanded that he step down . Months before his ouster , both sides had brokered a deal to form a unity government led by the President . But that deal fell apart as the rebel coalition pushed its way from the north toward the capital of Bangui , seizing towns along the way . Rebels infiltrated the capital in March , sending Bozize fleeing to Cameroon . Fears of genocide . Since then , political turmoil raged and violence became the order of the day . Seleka is a predominantly Muslim coalition , and to counter the attacks , vigilante Christian groups fought back . The country descended into anarchy , and the United Nations has warned that a genocide is brewing . Aid agencies have warned of a humanitarian crisis as rapes , killings and other horrors grow in the nation . An unknown number of people have been killed in remote rural areas that are too risky to access . Others have fled into forests . Aid agency Doctors Without Borders said Thursday it will reduce medical activities at the airport in the capital because of insecurity .
Internally displaced number exceeds 935,000 , U.N. says . U.N. reports escalating violence against children . Thousands of children recruited into armed groups . Number of child soldiers in the nation has doubled to 6,000 , U.N. says .