UN soldiers under investigation on sex assault claim

By Charlie Charalambous

TWO BRITISH UN soldiers are under investigation following charges of indecent sexual assault by a female colleague.

“The investigation is on-going and the soldiers will remain here while the investigation is going on,” UN spokeswoman Sarah Russell told the Cyprus Mail.

She said two soldiers were being questioned in connection with allegations of indecent assault during a drunken beach trip to Ayia Napa on July 14.

“Two soldiers were detained but later released. The UN military police are continuing their investigation and a report of their findings will be filed to the UN British commander,” said Russell.

It will then be up to the relevant military authorities in Britain, not the UN, to decide on any further course of action, Russell said.

Eight men and the woman, all from a Royal Artillery regiment serving with Britcon, hired a mini-bus for a day out at Nissi beach.

When returning to base in Nicosia the woman claims she was assaulted by two lance-bombardiers.

According to her allegation, a lot of drinking had gone on, and the two soldiers exposed themselves to her and then assaulted her.

The soldiers were immediately arrested following the allegations, but have been released while UN miliary police continue enquiries.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.