Central African Republic abuses include witchcraft: United Nations

The UN chief is reporting 269 verified incidents of human rights violations and abuses in the Central African Republic including arbitrary killings, conflict-related sexual violence and allegations of witchcraft.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's report to the UN Security Council on central Africa circulated Wednesday said the incidents documented by the UN peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic involved 915 victims including 53 women, 48 boys and 30 girls. The report did not state the number of killings, cruel treatment, arrests, detentions or cases of sexual and gender-based violence.

But it did say there were 18 incidents of human rights violations and abuse related to allegations of witchcraft affecting mainly women and children documented. CAR has been highly volatile since early 2013, when Muslim rebels overthrew the president, sparking unprecedented sectarian violence.