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Over 7,000 children crossed the Mediterranean from North Africa to reach Italy this year (Photo: European Commission)

Most young refugees travelling alone, says Unicef

Many of the people attempting to reach Europe from Africa are youngsters escaping violence and poverty, UN's children fund Unicef says.

Of the some 7,500 children who took the sea journey this year, around 92 percent are travelling alone.

"What we have really been alarmed by, I would say is the enormous number of unaccompanied children and adolescents who are making this journey," said an Unicef spokesperson.

Unicef classified roughly 35 percent of the people crossing the Me...

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Author Bio

Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.

Over 7,000 children crossed the Mediterranean from North Africa to reach Italy this year (Photo: European Commission)

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Author Bio

Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.

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