Mass Grave in Libya Reveals 17 More Bodies Attributed to Pro-Haftar Militia

Khalifa Haftar, general of the Libyan National Army, has led forces against the UN-backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli. [Creative Commons]

Seventeen dead bodies were exhumed from unmarked graves in Libya on November 7. Other mass graves have been recently discovered by the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), which has put together a task force in order to find missing people. Only one body, that of the former Director of the Information and Follow-Up Office, Mabrouk Khalaf, has been identified so far. 

The bodies were found in the Tarhuna region, 50 miles southeast of Tripoli. A number of mass graves have been identified since June, when the UN-recognized government in Tripoli ousted forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar, a rebel general from Tarhuna. 

The discovery of a mass grave in June, in which 8 bodies were initially found, sparked international outrage, prompting condemnations from Human Rights Watch and the U.S. Embassy in Libya. The finding prompted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to call for a “thorough and transparent investigation” into the causes of the unmarked burials and for justice to be brought against the perpetrators.

Later that month, The Africa Group at the Human Rights Council passed a resolution to begin an investigation into human rights violations during the Libyan Civil War.

“The establishment of a fact finding mission into abuses in Libya is a wake up call to warlords and armed groups that they could be held accountable for serious crimes committed by their rank and file,” said Eric Goldstein, a director at Human Rights Watch.

The likely culprit of these recurring atrocities is the pro-Haftar Kaniyat militia, which held the Tarhuna region for the Haftar-led Libya National Army (LNA) until June. The militia is run by the Al-Kani family, which has been found responsible for other atrocities against Libyan civilians.  

Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha released a statement on Twitter promising that the victims would “reach the hand of justice.”

“The horrific acts carried out by the Al-Kani criminal gang are considered terrorist acts that require prosecution locally and internationally, and not with impunity,” wrote Bashagha.

In September, the International Criminal Court informed German authorities that senior leader Abdelrahim al-Kani had arrived in Germany to receive treatment for wounds sustained in battle, but al-Kani was not found. Since then, the GNA has issued warrants of arrest for the Kaniyat militia’s leaders.

Delegates representing both the LNA and the GNA negotiated a ceasefire last month in Geneva. The deal stipulates that all foreign mercenaries be expatriated in 90 days.

“We have had enough suffering, enough bloodshed. I appeal to all Libya: Be one hand,” said Ali Abushahma, head of the GNA delegation, after the agreement was signed.