A French soldier deployed to Central African Republic has been accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl in the latest in a series of misconduct allegations against peacekeeping forces there, the United Nations' top human rights official said, reports Reuters.
France intervened in its former colony in 2013 to stem violence between Christian militias and largely Muslim Seleka rebels that has led to the de facto partition of the country.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said U.N. staff were informed on Aug. 30 of allegations that a French soldier sexually abused a girl in her mid-to-late teens last year. She gave birth to a child in April and lodged a paternity case with local authorities.
"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," Zeid said in a statement on Thursday during a visit to Central African Republic.
He said French authorities had been informed of the latest allegation and the U.N. mission, which took over peacekeeping duties from French troops, had offered to help investigate.
Public prosecutors in Paris and French justice ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.
A French military spokesman said an internal investigation had been opened into the allegations.