New recruitment drives are sweeping up hundreds of boys in parts of SPLM-IO rebel territory in South Sudan over the last few days, just a week after the UN reported at least 89 boys were forcibly recruited in a government-controlled area of Upper Nile State.

In an update yesterday, UNICEF disclosed that the number of boys recruited in Wau Shilluk since mid-February "may be in the hundreds." Meanwhile, more and more children are being recruited and prepared for battle in rebel areas as well, including in Jonglei and Unity states.

Rebel forces carried out forced recruitment two days ago in Old Fangak village in northern Jonglei. Hundreds of men and boys were rounded up and put in the prison. Exceptions were then made for persons in certain professions, such as NGO workers, who were released.

After this, "The others, young boys included, have been shaved as a sign that they are in the army now," an eyewitness said.

Rebel forces prefer to recruit boys and youths rather than more mature adult men because the men are more likely to be able to get out from the army by desertion or other means, whereas the younger ones are more "adaptable," according to an observer.

In Upper Nile State, SPLA reportedly sent many of the children conscripted recently in Wau Shilluk across the river to Melut. Witnesses stated, "Many children have been seen in a training camp near Wau Shilluk and that in Melut children as young as 12 years old were seen carrying guns but not in uniform," according to a statement by UNICEF yesterday.

Melut is a short boat trip from Kaka, an area where clashes took place earlier this month. 

UNICEF, which condemned the Upper Nile recruitment drive in two statements over the last week, has yet to report publicly on the more recent recruitment of child soldier in SPLM-IO territories of Unity and Jonglei states.