UN’s Rape Probe in Central African Republic Implicates 41 Peacekeepers

A UN inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation by its peacekeepers in Central African Republic identified 41 possible perpetrators, the UN Internal Oversight Office said Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — UN workers interviewed a total of 139 alleged victims, including 25 children. Eight paternity claims were filed, six of which were by minors.

"16 possible perpetrators from Gabon and 25 from Burundi have been identified through photos and corroborating evidence," the UN said in a statement.

The United National has completed its part of the investigation and responsibility for further investigations lies with the suspects’ countries of origin, the UN Spokespersons Office indicated.

Nearly 11,000 UN peacekeepers have been deployed to the CAR in 2014 to maintain a fragile peace between Islamic Seleka rebels and Christian militias. The majority of the incidents under investigation happened in 2014 and 2015.