ABIDJAN, Cote d'Ivoire (Reuters) -- The United Nations said on Saturday it had suspended a Moroccan military contingent from its peacekeeping mission in Cote d'Ivoire while it investigated allegations of widespread sexual abuse. Moroccan U.N. peacekeepers stop a bus near Bouake, Cote d'Ivoire, in March. "It means they don't participate in our operations," said Hamadoun Toure, spokesman for the U.N. mission in Cote d'Ivoire (ONUCI). "Those who are found guilty will be sent back home." The world body said the measure was in addition to a decision to confine the entire battalion of 734 soldiers to barracks. U.N. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Friday the investigation involved Moroccan soldiers having sex with a large number of underage girls in the West African country's northern rebel stronghold of Bouake.
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U.N. confines all 734 members of Moroccan battalion to barracks
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Some soldiers accused of having sex with underage girls in Cote d'Ivoire
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U.N. says anyone found guilty will be sent home
The @placeholder mission numbers just over 9,000 uniformed personnel from more than 40 countries.