KAMPALA, Feb. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- The Ugandan government Thursday dismissed as false a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) story that the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) was recruiting former child-soldiers abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

    Radio Uganda quoted a statement signed by Ugandan Minister of Defense Amama Mbabazi as saying that the BBC report "is a falsehood." BBC said that Ugandan army has recruited hundreds of child-soldiers and are returning them to the battle fields.

    "It is the command of our law that UPDF shall not recruit into the military forces people who are below the stipulated age of 18 years and it has not been the policy or practice of UPDF to recruit children into the army," the statement said.

    It said it may be possible that one or two individuals may sneak into the army by lying about their age but once they are detected, they are removed.

    The statement explained that children who are rescued from the rebels are received at the children protection center in Gulu barracks and later handed over to the care of civil agencies.

    It further stated that all former LRA fighters have been integrated in the 105th battalion of the UPDF but not as a specialbattalion.

    Over 20,000 children have been abducted by the LRA rebels in their 18-year rebellion in northern Uganda. Enditem