New claim of UN peacekeeper misconduct in CAfrica

United Nations (United States) (AFP) - A soldier serving in the UN's troubled peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic has been accused of sexual misconduct involving a young woman who is now pregnant, UN officials said Friday.

The latest allegation came to light on Wednesday and the MINUSCA mission in the Central African Republic was still working to confirm details of the case.

"According to the information collected so far, a MINUSCA soldier was engaged in a sexual relationship with a young woman who is now pregnant," a UN peacekeeping official said.

"This behavior would be in breach of MINUSCA's non-fraternization policy."

The official, as well as another who provided similar details, declined to specify the nationality of the soldier involved but the country has been notified of the case.

The mission was also seeking to confirm that the alleged victim was over 18.

The MINUSCA mission has been hit with 15 cases of alleged sexual abuse, including nine that involved underage victims as young as 11.

UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous described the sexual abuse claims targeting the MINUSCA force as "catastrophic" after returning from a trip to the Central African Republic.

Toughening up the response, Ladsous said the United Nations had suspended payments to 15 countries whose troops face serious allegations of misconduct.

Nine countries contributing to the MINUSCA force have been deprived of the UN stipend paid for the soldiers, he said.

The new allegation surfaced just as US President Barack Obama is due to host a summit later this month aimed at broadening support for UN peace missions from developed countries, mostly in Europe.

Three new cases of rape allegedly committed by troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo came to light at the end of August, prompting Kinshasa to open an investigation.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last month took the unprecedented step of firing mission chief Babacar Gaye of Senegal and replaced him with Parfait Onanga-Anyanga of Gabon over the wave of accusations.

Ban has described sexual abuse in peacekeeping as a "cancer in our system."

Under UN rules, it is up to member states to investigate and prosecute their soldiers who face accusations of misconduct while serving under the UN flag.