By Spy Correspondent
Libya: Libya’s internationally-recognised government says it is gathering evidence of alleged war crimes committed by renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
This comes after UN expressed “horror” when at least eight mass graves were discovered in an area retaken by Libya’s internationally recognised government from renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
According to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), most of the graves were found in Tarhuna, Haftar’s last stronghold in western Libya. The city was used by his forces as a launchpad during an ill-fated 14-month offensive to seize the capital from the GNA.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) “notes with horror reports on the discovery of at least eight mass graves in past days, the majority of them in Tarhuna,” it wrote on Twitter.
1/3 UNSMIL notes with horror reports on the discovery of at least eight mass graves in past days, the majority of them in Tarhuna. International law requires that the authorities conduct prompt, effective & transparent investigations into all alleged cases of unlawful deaths. pic.twitter.com/cQY7dTNhzI
— UNSMIL (@UNSMILibya) June 11, 2020
The GNA said the remains were those of captured GNA soldiers as well as civilians, Traina said.
“These mass graves are yet another indication of the brutality of the Libyan conflict and the toll on the residents in the area,” he added.
On Thursday, the GNA’s justice ministry launched a committee to investigate the graves, according to the UN mission.
UNSMIL called on members of the committee “to promptly undertake the work aimed at securing the mass graves, identifying the victims, establishing causes of death & returning the bodies to next of kin”.
The United States also expressed concern over the grim findings.
“We are troubled by reports that GNA forces are discovering bodies of civilians, IEDs and land mines in areas retaken from the LNA,” said David Schenker, US assistant secretary for Near Eastern Affairs.
“We are similarly concerned that a GNA offensive on Sirte would have serious humanitarian consequence. When armed groups and their external backers escalate, the Libyan people suffer.”
