The Democratic Republic of Congo has freed 11,506 children from mining sites of the mineral rich Central African country under a project to knock out the worst forms of child labor, an NGO said on Wednesday.

The "Save the Children" group said in a statement that the child laborers were liberated from 12,000 mining sites of Kolwezi in Katanga province, Mongbwalu of Orientale province and Mbuji- Mayi of Kasai Oriental province.

The children were retired under the project of REETE (reducing the exploitation of child laborers by education), said the NGO. "Save the Children" aims to reduce 25 percent of child laborers in DR Congo in the short run and prevent the scourge in the long run, the statement said.

The international NGO also appealed to the authorities to put in practice the law and policies on child labor and education.

In DR Congo, child labor is linked to the poverty of their parents, who have no money to afford their education.