The UN peacekeeping contingent serving in the Central African Republic are accused of sexually abusing street children in Bangui, a UN spokesman has said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the latest incident was the third case of alleged child sexual abuse involving peacekeepers in the CAR to have surfaced in recent months.

“If the allegations are substantiated, this would constitute a grave violation of UN principles and of the code of conduct of peacekeepers,” Dujarric said on Tuesday.

The UN mission in Bangui has notified the troop-contributing country of the new allegations and has opened an investigation, Dujarric said.

The country of origin was not identified, but a UN official said it was an African contingent.

The “member-state will be requested to take swift and appropriate punitive action,” he added.