UN peacekeepers in the disputed African territory of Western Sahara have vandalised ancient rock paintings, a UN official has told a UK newspaper.
The Times has published pictures of the paintings, some 6,000 years old, showing them defaced with spray paint.
Julian Harston, the UN official responsible for Western Sahara, said he had been shocked by the vandalism.
He said funds would now be sought from the UN cultural organisation, Unesco, to remove the graffiti.
Western Sahara has been at the centre of a bitter dispute since former colonial power Spain pulled out in 1975 and neighbouring Morocco invaded.
UN peacekeepers were deployed in 1991 to monitor a ceasefire between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, which has been seeking independence for the territory.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7219297.stm
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