The United Nations has confirmed that three Ethiopian peacekeepers on a mission in South Sudan have been deported to their country without due procedure.
Officials at the UN Mission in South Sudan said the deportation could have violated their human rights if based on their ethnic background.
Reports had emerged from last Saturday that three Ethiopian soldiers from the Tigray ethnic group had been taken back to their country ostensibly to cull their influence.
“The Mission’s Human Rights Division is following up on their situation. As a Troop Contributing Country, Ethiopia is ultimately responsible for the conduct and movement of its troops,” a spokesperson at UNMISS said.
“However, if personnel are discriminated against because of their ethnicity or any other reason, this could involve a human rights violation under international law.”
The government did not comment on the matter and none of the three peacekeepers returned to Ethiopia.
The Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF), which is fighting the government in Tigray region, was accused of assigning on ethnic Tigrayan soldiers in the UN mission in which Ethiopia has participated.
MG/abj/APA