"All parties to the Chhattisgarh conflict have used children in armed operations. The Naxalites, a Maoist armed group, admit that it is their official practice to recruit children above age 16 in their forces, and have used children as young as 12 in armed operations," the Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Friday.

It has also slammed the government sponsored Salwa Judum vigilantes for also using children in their defence against Naxals attack.

The 58-page report, ‘Dangerous Duty: Children and the Chhattisgarh Conflict,’ is based on information gathered from more than 160 interviews with villagers, Salwa Judum camp residents, police, SPOs, and former child Naxalites in Chhattisgarh state, the Human Rights Watch said.

The human rights watch group has also pointed out that children were being recruited as special police officers with the police and used in counter-Naxalite combing operations.