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Another allegation of sexual abuse by troops in Central African Republic

Incidents of child sexual abuse by soldiers were chronicled last year in a report.

By Ed Adamczyk
French and British troops unload vital Military equipment from the back of a 99 Sqn C17 on its arrival at Bangui Airport in the Central African Republic on Dec. 11, 2013. File photo by Cpl. Neil Bryden/RAF
French and British troops unload vital Military equipment from the back of a 99 Sqn C17 on its arrival at Bangui Airport in the Central African Republic on Dec. 11, 2013. File photo by Cpl. Neil Bryden/RAF

BANGUI , Central African Republic, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A French peacekeeping soldier has been accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl in the Central African Republic, one of several similar accusations against soldiers in the African nation in recent months, the UN said.

UN High commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein announced said the soldier allegedly abused the girl in her late teens in 2014. She gave birth to a child in April, a news release from the UN agency said.

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It is another incident in a year-long series of allegations in which troops from a number of countries, including Burundi, Cameroon, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo, have been accused of at least 13 examples of sexual abuse of children while in the African nation. In August, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon fired Babacar Gaye, leader of the UN mission in the country.

"This is the latest in a series of appalling allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by foreign troops in CAR. We simply have to find ways to prevent such odious acts being committed by any soldiers anywhere who are supposed to be protecting vulnerable populations," Hussein said in a statement while in Bangui, CAR, where he is completing a four-day visit.

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He said the most recent incident involved French, not UN troops, though he added "there have been a number of other cases in CAR, and elsewhere, which have."

UN staff members compiled a report, detailing the allegations of sexual abuse by French troops.

Hussein said French authorities have been informed of the latest allegation, noting nations sending troops to the Central African Republic have an obligation to investigate the incidents.

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