natasha ghoneim reports on the increased risks for the many young people there. >> reporter: villagespeople killed women and girls raped and thousands displaced. since south sudan's government began fighting with rebels 17 months ago, these scenes have been common. unicef says in the last two weeks, children have been the targets of armed groups in unity state. >> one of the victims a 17-year-old girl she said they took my belongings and threw me into the fire. she has baby twins who are less than a year. they tried to take them away from me. i said they would have to kill me first. >> reporter: they survived and now join the 1.9 million south sudanese who have been displaced because of fighting. half of them are children. unicef says in recent weeks dozens of children have been killed at least a dozen raped and others kidnapped and recruited as soldiers. >> we know the numbers are likely to be on the low side and there are many more children. this is a very dark sign of where things are going at the moment. >> reporter: the attacks coincide with the south sudanese military operation

more from natasha ghoneim. >> reporter: blaring horns instead of gunfire.eople walking and shopping instead of fighters in the streets. in the old city of sana'a it was the return to ordinary life on the first day of the ceasefire, but not everyone was feeling optimistic. >> translator: the yemeni people will never agree to a truce. these yemeni are forced to confront them because they can only be stopped with force. >> reporter: the truce is an attempt to help ease the suffering of yemenese after weeks of conflict. iran has sent a naval ship to escort its cargo else have care rig sup place and journalists, but the iranian military has said it won't allow the saudi-lead forces to inspect the ship. and witnesses in several cities say the houthis are continuing to shell neighborhoods. >> the houthis are divided. there is a group of houthi fighters that would like to accept the ceasefire and move along, but then there is another group that is probably under the influence of the iranian government that is not necessarily happy with the terms of the ceasefire. >

natasha ghoneim reports. >> reporter: villages burned people killed, women and girls raped and thousandsh sudan's government began fighting with rebels 17 months ago, these scenes have been common in this four year old country. unicef says in the last two weeks children have been the targets of armed groups in unity state. >> one of the victims a 17 year old girl said when the attackers came they took my belongings. they threw me into the fire. they tried to take my baby away from me. i said they had to kill me first. >> reporter: that mother and her twin baby's survived. they have now joined the millions of sudanese who have been displaced by fighting. unicef says in the past two weeks, dozens have been killed rapes, and recruited as solders. >> we know that they are likely to be on the [ inaudible ] side and this is impacting many many more children. this is quite horrifying and a very very dark sign for where things are going at the moment. >> reporter: the attacks against children coincide with the south sudanese operation against rebels in unity state. the president has been battlin

natasha ghoneim reports. >> reporter: this is the trail of anguish a meningitis outbreak has spread tos in niger. the health ministry says since january more than 400 have died and 6,000 have been infected. meningitis is extremely contagious, and children are especially vulnerable. >> translator: when she got sick with meningitis my thought was the others would get it. that's really what i'm worried about, and why i'm asking for help. >> reporter: meningitis outbreaks are not uncommon in niger, but doctors without borders says this particular epidemic is especially worrisome. it has been caused by two strains of meningitis not typically seen in the region. most people here are immunized to protect them from a different strain. >> translator: the government has taken the necessary measures at the early stages of the disease by vaccinating children from 2 to 15 years old. schools are closed until the campaign is finished. >> reporter: but there's a global shortage of the meningitis vaccine, that means it will be a challenge to stop the spread of what doctors say is a preventible disease.