CNN
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A UNICEF report reveals that in the first two months of 2023, almost 9,700 children and adolescents attempted to cross the infamous Darien Gap, which is a seven-fold increase compared to the same period in 2022.
The Darien Gap is a 60 kilometer (37 mile) trek north that brings migrants from Colombia to Panama, which is a crucial passage for those hoping to reach the United States and Canada.
The UN children’s agency reported that 110 of the children attempted the dangerous hike alone. It also noted that large numbers of people on that route in the same time period were from Haiti, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
Travelers trying to make it through have reported robberies, corpses, mutilations, and rape in the dense forest along the route.
UNICEF has warned of “invisible wounds” for children who survive the trek.
“Many of these kids have gone through a terrible time, they have…
2023-04-13 16:44:51
Original from www.cnn.com