Nearly 50 bodies found in Libya mass graves amid reports of migrant abuse

Express Tribune

09-02-2025

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Libyan authorities have discovered nearly 50 bodies in two mass graves in the country's southeastern desert, as reports of systematic abuse against migrants and refugees continue to surface. The grim discovery underscores the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Libya, which remains a major transit point for migrants seeking to reach Europe.
More feared buried
The security directorate of Kufra city confirmed in a statement on Sunday that one of the mass graves, found on a farm on Friday, contained 19 bodies. The remains have been taken for autopsy, while authorities continue to search the area based on survivor accounts indicating that nearly 70 people were buried at the site.
Al-Abreen, a humanitarian group assisting migrants in Libya's eastern and southern regions, reported that some of the victims had been shot before being buried. The identities and nationalities of the deceased have yet to be confirmed.
This is not the first time mass graves containing migrants have been found in Libya. Last year, authorities unearthed at least 65 bodies in the Shuayrif region, south of the capital, Tripoli.
Human traffickers have exploited Libya's decade-long instability, smuggling migrants from Africa and the Middle East across the country's porous borders. Libya shares frontiers with six nations, including Chad, Niger, Sudan, Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia, making it a key route for migrants attempting the perilous journey to Europe.
Widespread abuse and exploitation
Rights groups and UN agencies have long documented severe abuse against migrants in Libya, including forced labor, beatings, torture, and rape. Many asylum seekers face extortion, with traffickers demanding payments from their families before allowing them to board boats bound for Europe.
Those intercepted and returned to Libya often end up in government-run detention centers, where conditions are reportedly dire. Human rights organizations have accused authorities of mistreatment, with detainees facing inhumane conditions, sexual violence, and further extortion.
Ongoing political turmoil
The discovery of mass graves comes amid Libya's continued political instability. The country has been mired in chaos since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that led to the overthrow and killing of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. Since then, rival governments in the east and west—each supported by various armed factions and foreign backers—have struggled for control, exacerbating lawlessness and fueling human trafficking networks.
As authorities continue their investigation into the mass graves, international organizations are calling for urgent action to address the human rights violations suffered by migrants in Libya.