Foreign soldiers, including those of the United States and France, have been found engaged in illegal sexual activities with women and girls, and what is known is consistent with the pattern of conduct of foreign soldiers on and near military bases abroad.
Read or download the article below, or read the original by HuffPost here. On 29 January , just five days after Donald Trump became President of the United States, he approved a special forces operation in Yemen. About 75 people were killed in those strikes. The drones used by the United States for surveillance and strikes in Yemen are stationed in and launched from Djibouti.
It also hosts large refugee camps. Djibouti has received the lowest ranking in the Trafficking in Persons Report published by the US State Department due to the high risks of trafficking in persons and lack of any effective prevention, protection, or prosecution policies. Foreign soldiers, including those of the United States and France, have been found engaged in illegal sexual activities with women and girls.
More investigation is required to understand the extent of these activities. What is known is consistent with the pattern of conduct of foreign soldiers on and near military bases abroad. The harm caused to children, and to other civilians in Yemen from the recent drone strikes, does not begin or end with the strike itself.
There are also harms to civilians, including children, related to the permanent military presence in Djibouti. The President is considered corrupt and repressive by human rights groups and the US Statement Department. Human rights violations in Djibouti and the region are linked to existing conflicts in the Horn of Africa and Middle East, which are exacerbated by the militarisation of Djibouti.
