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Abuse allegation against troops Abuse allegation against troops
(about 16 hours later)
The Royal Military Police is investigating an allegation that British soldiers sexually assaulted a 14-year-old Iraqi boy, the MoD says.The Royal Military Police is investigating an allegation that British soldiers sexually assaulted a 14-year-old Iraqi boy, the MoD says.
The Ministry of Defence said the alleged incident took place at Camp Bread Basket in Iraq in May 2003. The incident is alleged to have taken place at Camp Bread Basket in Basra, southern Iraq, in May 2003.
"This allegation has been referred to the Royal Military Police for investigation," an MoD spokesman said."This allegation has been referred to the Royal Military Police for investigation," an MoD spokesman said.
He said all allegations of abuse are "investigated thoroughly and where proven those responsible are punished". He said all claims of abuse are "investigated thoroughly and where proven those responsible are punished".
The alleged abuse comes just days after it was announced that the MoD would pay nearly £3m to Iraqis who were tortured by British troops in Basra in 2003.
Among those receiving compensation are the family of 26-year-old Baha Mousa who was beaten to death in custody.
Following the latest abuse allegation, the MoD said: "The Army has done a great deal since cases of abuse related to the death of Baha Mousa in 2003.
"Procedures and training have been improved. But we are not complacent and continue to demand the very highest standards of conduct from all our troops."
Impeccable behaviour
On the wider issue of abuse allegations, Chief Marshall Sir Jock Stirrup, the chief of defence staff, said: "We have had tens and tens of thousands of military people going through operational theatres, operating in the most dangerous and most difficult and most stressful conditions, and virtually all of them have behaved impeccably."
However, he conceded that "has not universally been the case".
"When it is not the case we are first amongst those who want to see it dealt with because we cannot accept people failing to live up to the high standards that we set," he told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show.
But he was keen to stress that any ongoing abuse allegations were subject to proper police investigations and "we need to see what they come up with".
Mr Mousa died while in the custody of the former Queen's Lancashire Regiment.
No regiment has yet been named in connection with the latest allegation.
According to the Independent on Sunday newspaper, the boy, now aged 19, is launching a civil case against the MoD.