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Middle East Eye
5 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Libya: UN raises alarm over ‘gross violations' after scores of bodies found at militia sites in Tripoli
The UN has demanded an independent probe into evidence of extrajudicial killings by an armed Libyan group following the discovery of dozens of bodies in mass graves across Libya's capital Tripoli. The bodies were found at sites run by the Stabilisation Support Apparatus (SSA), one of the city's most powerful militia groups, once led by Abdel-Ghani al-Kikli who was assassinated in May. Al-Kikli, also known as "Gheniwa," was among Tripoli's most influential militia commanders and faced allegations of extrajudicial killings and serious human rights violations. Before his death, he had come into conflict with other armed groups. His killing triggered armed clashes across the capital, the deadliest since August 2023, when rival factions in Tripoli battled for control, leaving 55 people dead. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In the wake of the violence, the UN human rights office (OCHR) said 10 badly charred bodies were discovered at the SSA headquarters in the Abu Salim neighbourhood, while 67 more bodies were found 'in refrigerators in various states of decay' in hospitals in Abu Salim and Al Khadra. Exclusive: Greece to lobby Egypt against Haftar endorsing Turkey-Libya maritime deal Read More » Another suspected mass grave has also been reported at the SSA-run Tripoli Zoo. The identities of the victims remain unknown. Volker Turk, the UN's high commissioner said the revelations confirmed the UN's 'worst-held fears' of gross human rights violations perpetrated by the group at these sites, adding that the bodies were found along with "suspected instruments of torture and abuse, and potential evidence of extrajudicial killings'. Turk noted that forensic authorities have not been allowed into the sites and called on the Libyan authorities to seal them to preserve evidence and ensure international access. The recent revelations follow the discovery of two mass graves in Jakharrah and Al-Kufra in February, containing over 100 bodies of refugees, who are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking, forced disappearance and killings in Libya. The SSA has long been suspected by the UN Support Mission in Libya and independent rights experts of being the main perpetrators of violence inside Libya's detention centres. Officially tied to the Presidential Council under the internationally recognised Government of National Unity (GNU), the group is one of the many factions competing for power in Libya's capital.
Euronews
6 days ago
- General
- Euronews
Bodies found in area of Libya's capital run by armed group, UN says
Dozens of bodies have been discovered in detention facilities in an area of Libya's capital controlled by an armed militia, the UN said on Wednesday, expressing its concern about "gross human rights violations" including torture and enforced disappearances. The UN human rights office said it was shocked by the discoveries at the official and unofficial detention sites run by the Stabilisation Support Apparatus (SSA) force in Tripoli. The group's commander, Abdel-Ghani al-Kikli, was killed in fighting between heavily armed militias in the city in mid-May that left at least six dead, according to officials. Subsequent clashes between state security actors and armed groups sparked protests calling for an end to violence in Tripoli, resulting in the deaths of several civilians and a police officer, as well as major damage to infrastructure, including hospitals, the UN said. The UN rights office said it later received information on the excavation of 10 charred bodies at the SSA headquarters in the Abu Salim neighbourhood, with another 67 bodies discovered in refrigerators in the Abu Salim and Al Khadra hospitals. It also cited reports of a burial site at the Tripoli Zoo that was run by the SSA. "Our worst held fears are being confirmed: dozens of bodies have been discovered at these sites, along with the discovery of suspected instruments of torture and abuse, and potential evidence of extrajudicial killings," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in a statement. His office said the identities of the bodies were unclear. Türk called on Libyan authorities to seal the area to preserve evidence and said there needed to be accountability for the killings. He said the UN should be granted access to the sites to document rights violations. The SSA is an umbrella group of militias that rose to become one of the most powerful groups in western Libya, which has a history of atrocities during the nation's long-running conflict. It is affiliated with the Presidential Council that took power in 2021 with the Government of National Unity (GNU) of Abdulhamid Dbeibah in a UN-backed process. The group's late leader, al-Kikli, who was known as "Gheniwa", has been accused by Amnesty International of war crimes and other rights violations over the past decade. The clashes in Tripoli last month were the latest bout of violence in the largely lawless North African country, which has been plunged into chaos and division since 2011 following the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. Libya has been divided for years between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. Currently, it is governed by Dbeibah's internationally recognised government in the west and by the administration of Prime Minister Ossama Hammad in the east.
13-05-2025
- Politics
A warlord and 6 other people killed as militia infighting rocks Libya's capital, officials say
CAIRO -- Clashes between heavily armed militias rocked the Libyan capital, with gunfire and explosions heard across the city following the killing of a powerful warlord, officials said. At least six people were killed, they said. The hourslong clashes, which involved heavy weapons, took place Monday evening into the early hours of Tuesday and centered in Tripoli's southern neighborhood of Abu Salim, the officials said. The fighting stemmed from the killing of Abdel-Ghani al-Kikli, commander of the Stabilization Support Authority, SSA, on Monday by a rival militia, a senior government and health official said. The SSA is an umbrella group of militias that rose to become one of the most powerful groups in western Libya, which has a history of atrocities and rights abuses during the country's long-running conflict. Al-Kikli, who was known as 'Gheniwa,' has been accused by Amnesty International of war crimes and other serious rights violations over the past decade. Al-Kikli was killed in a facility run by the 444 Brigade, a militia commanded by Mahmoud Hamza, a warlord close to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, one of the officials said. Hamza's militia and their allies then attacked the offices of SSA across the capital, seizing their assets and detaining dozens of SSA fighters, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity for their safety. The Health Ministry's Ambulance and Emergency Services said in a statement that at least six people were killed in the vicinity of Abu Salim, the SSA stronghold. It said it helped evacuate many families trapped in the clashes. Residents reported heavy clashes and explosions in multiple areas in the capital, with dozens of vehicles carrying fighters affiliated with different militias in the streets. 'It was a nightmare,' said Ahmed Ammer, who lives in the city center, adding that the clashes were reminiscent of the civil war that engulfed the North African country following the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi. He said the clashes subsided early Tuesday morning, but the situation has been tense with many fighters in the streets. Classes in the capital's schools were suspended on Tuesday, according to the Tripoli-based Education Ministry. The University of Tripoli also said it suspended studies, exams and administrative work until further notice. Dbeibah's government posted on its social media platforms early Tuesday that its forces carried out a military operation in Abu Salim and took full control of the area. It didn't provide further details. In a statement, the U.N. mission in Libya expressed alarm about the 'intense fighting with heavy weaponry in densely populated civilian areas' and warned that 'attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes.' The clashes were the latest bout of violence in the largely lawless Mediterranean country, which has been plunged into chaos and division since 2011. Amid the chaos, militias grew in wealth and power, particularly in Tripoli and the western part of the country. Libya has been divided for years between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. Currently, it is governed by Dbeibah's government in the west and by the administration of Prime Minister Ossama Hammad in the east.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Militia infighting rocks Libya's capital; 7 killed including a powerful warlord, officials say
Representative Image (ANI) CAIRO: Clashes between heavily armed militias rocked the Libyan capital, with gunfire and explosions heard across the city following the killing of a powerful warlord, officials said. At least six people were killed, they said. The hourslong clashes, which involved heavy weapons, took place Monday evening into the early hours of Tuesday and centered in Tripoli's southern neighborhood of Abu Salim, the officials said. The fighting stemmed from the killing of Abdel-Ghani al-Kikli , commander of the stabilization support authority , SSA, on Monday by another rival militia, a senior government and health official said. The SSA is an umbrella group of militias that rose to become one of the most powerful groups in western Libya, which has a history of atrocities and rights abuses during the country's long-running conflict. Al-Kikli, who was known as "Gheniwa", has been accused by Amnesty International of war crimes and other serious rights violations over the past decade. Al-Kikli was killed in a facility run by the 444 Brigade, a militia commanded by Mahmoud Hamza, another warlord close to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, one of the officials said. Hamza's militia and their allies then attacked the offices of SSA across the capital, seizing their assets and detaining dozens of SSA fighters, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity for their safety. The health ministry's ambulance and emergency services said in a statement that at least six people were killed in the vicinity of Abu Salim, the SSA stronghold. It said it helped evacuate many families trapped in the clashes. Residents reported heavy clashes and explosions in multiple areas in the capital, with dozens of vehicles carrying fighters affiliated with different militias in the streets. "It was a nightmare," said Ahmed Ammer, who lives in the city center, adding that the clashes were reminiscent of the civil war that engulfed the North African country following the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi. He said the clashes subsided early Tuesday morning, but the situation has been tense with many fighters in the streets. Classes in the capital's schools were suspended on Tuesday, according to the Tripoli-based education ministry. The University of Tripoli also said it suspended studies, exams and administrative work until further notice. Dbeibah's government posted on its social media platforms early Tuesday that its forces carried out a military operation in Abu Salim and took full control of the area. It didn't provide further details. In a statement, the UN mission in Libya expressed alarm about the "intense fighting with heavy weaponry in densely populated civilian areas" and warned that "attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes." The clashes were the latest bout of violence in the largely lawless Mediterranean country, which has been plunged into chaos and division since 2011. Amid the chaos, militias grew in wealth and power, particularly in Tripoli and the western part of the country. Libya has been divided for years between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. Currently, it is governed by Dbeibah's government in Tripoli and by the administration of Prime Minister Ossama Hammad in the east.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Militia infighting rocks Libya's capital; 7 killed including a powerful warlord, officials say
CAIRO (AP) — Clashes between heavily armed militias rocked the Libyan capital, with gunfire and explosions heard across the city following the killing of a powerful warlord, officials said. At least six people were killed, they said. The hourslong clashes, which involved heavy weapons, took place Monday evening into the early hours of Tuesday and centered in Tripoli's southern neighborhood of Abu Salim, the officials said. The fighting stemmed from the killing of Abdel-Ghani al-Kikli, commander of the Stabilization Support Authority, SSA, on Monday by another rival militia, a senior government and health official said. The SSA is an umbrella group of militias that rose to become one of the most powerful groups in western Libya, which has a history of atrocities and rights abuses during the country's long-running conflict. Al-Kikli, who was known as 'Gheniwa', has been accused by Amnesty International of war crimes and other serious rights violations over the past decade. Al-Kikli was killed in a facility run by the 444 Brigade, a militia commanded by Mahmoud Hamza, another warlord close to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, one of the officials said. Hamza's militia and their allies then attacked the offices of SSA across the capital, seizing their assets and detaining dozens of SSA fighters, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity for their safety. The Health Ministry's Ambulance and Emergency Services said in a statement that at least six people were killed in the vicinity of Abu Salim, the SSA stronghold. It said it helped evacuate many families trapped in the clashes. Residents reported heavy clashes and explosions in multiple areas in the capital, with dozens of vehicles carrying fighters affiliated with different militias in the streets. 'It was a nightmare,' said Ahmed Ammer, who lives in the city center, adding that the clashes were reminiscent of the civil war that engulfed the North African country following the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi. He said the clashes subsided early Tuesday morning, but the situation has been tense with many fighters in the streets. Classes in the capital's schools were suspended on Tuesday, according to the Tripoli-based education ministry. The University of Tripoli also said it suspended studies, exams and administrative work until further notice. Dbeibah's government posted on its social media platforms early Tuesday that its forces carried out a military operation in Abu Salim and took full control of the area. It didn't provide further details. In a statement, the U.N. mission in Libya expressed alarm about the 'intense fighting with heavy weaponry in densely populated civilian areas' and warned that 'attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes.' The clashes were the latest bout of violence in the largely lawless Mediterranean country, which has been plunged into chaos and division since 2011. Amid the chaos, militias grew in wealth and power, particularly in Tripoli and the western part of the country. Libya has been divided for years between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. Currently, it is governed by Dbeibah's government in Tripoli and by the administration of Prime Minister Ossama Hammad in the east.
