UN withdraws Gabon peacekeepers from CAR over sex abuse claims
Al Jazeera
Gabonese defence ministry says ‘exceptionally serious acts’ have been reported in recent weeks.
Gabon’s defence ministry has said the United Nations will withdraw the country’s 450-strong peacekeeping contingent from the Central African Republic (CAR) over sexual abuse allegations.
“In recent weeks, exceptionally serious acts that go against military ethics and the honour of the armed forces, committed by certain elements in the Gabonese battalions … have been reported,” the ministry said in a statement sent to the AFP news agency on Wednesday.
“Following many cases of alleged sexual exploitation and abuse that are being processed, the United Nations today decided to withdraw the Gabonese contingent from MINUSCA”, the UN mission in the CAR, and “an investigation has been opened by Gabon,” the statement read.
