PARIS – Two French soldiers serving in the African country of Burkina Faso are being suspended over accusations of sexual abuse of minors.
It is the second case of alleged sexual abuse of minors by French soldiers in Africa to emerge in recent months. But French officials insisted Tuesday that the Burkina Faso case was unrelated to the earlier one, in Central African Republic.
French military spokesman Col. Gilles Jaron said Tuesday that the government found out about the Burkina accusations on Monday, and informed French judicial authorities Tuesday and began procedures to suspend them from their military duties.
Prosecutor's office spokesman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre says judicial authorities opened a preliminary investigation Tuesday into the case.
Thibault-Lecuivre said the affair came to light after "the mother of a minor came forward to the French Embassy."
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