The United Nations says the Somalia conflict is having a grave impact on the country's children.

The U.N. children's agency, UNICEF, says 24 Somali children were killed and another 58 were seriously injured in October, the highest numbers for any month this year.

In a statement Tuesday, UNICEF says increasing numbers of Somali children are being caught in attacks and cross-fire. It says overall, more than 100 children have died in fighting this year.

The agency also says more than 600 Somali children have been recruited for armed service, while more than 200 others, mostly girls, have been raped.

UNICEF is calling on all parties in the Somali conflict to stop the killing, maiming, recruitment and rape of children.

Somalia has been wracked by civil war and clan violence for two decades.

The fighting surged again in October when Kenyan forces crossed the border to pursue fighters from militant group al-Shabab. At the same time, al-Shabab continues to battle forces from the Somali government and the African Union mission based in Mogadishu.