The UN failed to adequately deal with rape victims from the Congo, according to Atul Khare, the under-secretary general for peacekeeping operations.

On Tuesday, Mr Khare told the UN Security Council that he believed the UN had failed to take more responsibility for security in the area when rebels from neighbouring Rwanda and Congolese Mai Mai militia overran parts of the country.

On July 30th, the day the rapes began, he said the UN mission in North Kivu had received an e-mail warning that rebels had moved into the town and one woman had been raped.

He said the UN did not report the rape for another ten days.

Khare said he would now like to see the peacekeepers do more spot patrols, more random patrols and more night duty in an attempt to prevent further attacks.

He said improved communications in the area, including mobile phone coverage, would help troops get to trouble spots and allow officials to talk to commanders in the field earlier.

Margaret Wallstrom, the UN special representative on the prevention of sexual violence in conflict, told the Security Council that some of the women had been gang raped by up to five or six men.