The United Nations says government troops and rebel forces in South Sudan have abducted hundreds of women and girls.
The abductions took place this year and led to several girls and women being subjected to raped and sexual slavery.
The U.N. mission in South Sudan made the revelation in a report released on Tuesday.
According to the report, some of the children abducted by both warring parties were forced to become child soldiers.
“The girls are sometimes only 12 years old and were chosen as wives for the military. They had to parade in front of them and they (soldiers) could choose whomever they wanted. They used them and of course they were raped and (subjected to) sexual slavery,” the report said.
The United Nations has already urged both parties involved in the prolonged conflict to release those still in captivity.
Reactions
Army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang has denied the allegations from the U.N.
Koang is quoted by Reuters as saying that “We have no evidence showing that we have committed all the allegations levelled against us. What we have to tell them: they should bring the evidence, not only the report from Geneva and New York.”
Meanwhile the spokesman for the rebels Lam Paul Gabriel said “The leadership of the SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army) will investigate these accusations through a right channel and bring anyone found guilty to book so that justice is served”.
The report contains details of an investigation carried out between April and August in the southwest of the country.
South Sudan has been gripped with insecurity following years of civil war sparked by fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and rebels fighting for Riek Machar.
The civil war broke out in 2013. A peace deal was recently signed to end the fighting.
Source: Africafeeds.com
