A total of 460 children below the age of 16 were killed during the armed conflicts that began in February 1996 in Nepal, National Resource Center on Children in Conflict (NRCCC) said here on Sunday.

"Most of those children died due to stray bombs and other explosives left behind by both security forces and guerrillas, NRCCC, a non-government organization, said in a press statement.

Altogether 535 children including 150 girls were physically injured over the last decade of armed conflicts in the country, the statement noted.

More than 10,000 children have been orphaned, the statement noted, adding, "Around 40,000 others have been displaced due to the conflicts."

Over 31,000 children along with teachers had been forcibly taken away by guerrillas groups while 254 children were arrested by the state security forces over the period of conflicts, the statement noted.

Over 13,000 Nepalese people have been killed since the anti- government insurgency began in the Himalayan kingdom in February 1996.

Source: Xinhua