Muslims at risk of sexual violence in CAR: HRW
At least 42 Muslims, mostly women and girls, who are being held captive by Christian anti-Balaka militias in the Central African Republic (CAR), are at the risk of sexual violence, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) says.
In a statement released on Wednesday, HRW also called on UN peacekeepers and government officials to “urgently intervene” and free the group of Muslim Fulani herders, who were taken captive over a year ago.
“Holding civilians captive, killing children, and sexually enslaving women and girls are shocking tactics by these anti-Balaka and amount to war crimes,” HRW researcher Lewis Mudge said.
The international advocacy group’s call for intervention came three days after 21 nomadic Muslim herders - two men, six women and 13 children - were rescued from militias in the country's west by United Nation forces.
"Three of the six women were raped and are in a state of shock, totally traumatized," said Dalia Alachi, a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in the Central African Republic since December 2013, when Christian militias launched coordinated attacks against the mostly Muslim Seleka group, which toppled the government in March 2013.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says nearly one million people have been displaced in the CAR since the outbreak of the violence.
SRK/AS/MHB
US to pull out troops from Chad in second African state withdrawal
Tehran economic conference: Raeisi hails Iran-Africa expansion of ties
UK's Rwanda deportation plan morally disgraceful
US to pull out troops from Chad in second African state withdrawal
Yemeni armed forces strike British oil tanker in Red Sea
VIDEO | Genocide in Gaza
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
VIDEO | American, Israeli rabbis call for ceasefire during protest near Gaza
Iran calls for enhanced defense cooperation with Russia
US campus crackdown: 500 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested
VIDEO | Yemenis rally in Sana'a in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
