The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) said on Thursday that it was investigating a suspected child prostitution ring involving the UN peacekeepers in the eastern province of South Kivu.

"The UN mission has received allegations about a major prostitution ring involving minors, near a camp of DRC government soldiers and Blue Helmets (UN forces) in South Kivu," the UN mission said in a statement.

The UN mission was "shocked and appalled by allegations of the existence of a vast prostitution ring involving peacekeepers," it said, noting it would cooperate with DRC's Justice Department to smash the ring.

The UN mission reiterated the UN's zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual exploitation by the UN troops, saying it would punish the personnel involved in the scandal.

The UN mission in the DRC, in the past three years, has been charged with sexual exploitation of females in refugee camps.

Source: Xinhua