US regrets need to detain Iraqi children-envoy

UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (Reuters) - The United States accused Iraqi extremists on Tuesday of using children to attack government and coalition forces, forcing authorities to detain them.

Last week, the United States told the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child that since 2002 it had detained some 2,500 people under age 18, mostly in Iraq, often for a year or more, as part of its anti-terrorism campaign.

"We're heartbroken that terrorists and extremists use kids for their campaign of violence," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters after a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on peace-building after wars.

"It's very unfortunate that insurgents, terrorists, use young people in their campaign of violence and as a result ... we've had to detain young people who should be in school learning and preparing for a productive life," he said.