A group of Tanzanian peacekeepers accused of sexual exploitation and abuse in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are now facing paternity claims from 11 alleged rape victims, the U.N. said on April 5.

The Tanzanian contingent is part of the U.N. peacekeeping mission's Force Intervention Brigade, tasked with offensive operations. The mission said it received the allegations from the northeast Congolese village of Mavivi on March 23.

"We can confirm that out of the 11 allegedly abused women, six were minors. Seven of the alleged victims have already given birth, and four women are still pregnant," U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters.

According to Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, four of the allegations are linked to members of the current Tanzanian battalion, while the rest are aimed at the previous contingent. The accused peacekeepers have been detained, and the remaining troops are confined to base.

The U.N. has been in the spotlight for the past few months over allegations of sexual abuse by its peacekeepers. French prosecutors opened a third investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by troops in France's Sangaris peace force in the Central African Republic on the same day as the new allegations were announced.

The French prosecutors have questioned five soldiers accused of raping minors. A source said that the soldiers admitted to giving the girls food, but they denied asking for anything in return, including any sexual acts.