Britain's Defense Ministry says an investigation has been launched into media allegations that two British soldiers sexually abused children in Afghanistan.
A ministry spokesman said in a statement that military police will be looking into the claim, which is being taken "extremely seriously."
"The Sun" newspaper reported that a sergeant and a private have been detained over claims that they sexually abused an Afghan boy and a girl, both aged about 10, and filmed the incidents. Britain has some 9,500 troops in Afghanistan.
President Hamid Karzai's office said in a statement that the Afghan government is "immensely disgusted by the rise in recent incidents of an immoral nature among foreign soldiers" and called for an immediate investigation.
The allegation comes less than a week after a video emerged showing U.S. Marines urinating on the corpses of militants in Afghanistan.
compiled from agency reports
A ministry spokesman said in a statement that military police will be looking into the claim, which is being taken "extremely seriously."
"The Sun" newspaper reported that a sergeant and a private have been detained over claims that they sexually abused an Afghan boy and a girl, both aged about 10, and filmed the incidents. Britain has some 9,500 troops in Afghanistan.
President Hamid Karzai's office said in a statement that the Afghan government is "immensely disgusted by the rise in recent incidents of an immoral nature among foreign soldiers" and called for an immediate investigation.
The allegation comes less than a week after a video emerged showing U.S. Marines urinating on the corpses of militants in Afghanistan.
compiled from agency reports
