Latest news with #AbdelGhaniAlKikli
The National
2 days ago
- General
- The National
Dozens of charred bodies found buried in militia-controlled area of Libya, UN says
The UN human rights office on Wednesday raised alarm over 'gross human rights violations' in Libya after the discovery of dozens of bodies, some of them charred, that were buried and others left in hospital morgues in an area of Tripoli controlled by an armed militia. Volker Turk, the UN's high commissioner for human rights, said in a statement that he was 'shocked' by the discoveries at detention facilities run by the Stabilisation Support Authority (SSA), one of the western city's most powerful militant groups, whose commander, Abdel Ghani Al Kikli, died in clashes with rival militias in May. He said the discoveries confirm the long-standing findings by the UN Support Mission in Libya (Unsmil) and the former Independent Fact-Finding Mission, as well as various witness accounts regarding the existence of such sites and the extent of abuses committed, including torture and forced disappearances. The SSA has been accused of committing atrocities and crimes against humanity during the country's long-running conflict. '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,' Mr Turk said. His office said it had received information about the excavation of 10 burnt bodies at the SSA headquarters in Tripoli's Abu Salim district, as well as 67 more bodies found in refrigerators at two local hospitals. Mr Turk also said a burial site was discovered at the SSA-run Tripoli Zoo. The identities of the deceased remain unclear, he added. Mr Turk called on Libyan authorities to grant the UN access to the sites as part of its mandate to document human rights abuses and urged them to seal the area to preserve the evidence. He also noted continuing efforts to uphold the truce, facilitated by Unsmil, and reminded all parties of their obligations to respect international human rights and humanitarian law. Libya has been plagued by factional violence since the 2011 Nato-backed uprising against Muammar Qaddafi, with armed groups vying for power and control over territory. 'I call on all responsible political and security actors in the country to use their leadership and authority to protect and fulfil the human rights of all Libyans,' said Mr Turk. 'I further urge these actors and those with influence over them to redouble their efforts to end the recurring cycle of transitional arrangements and establish a full and inclusive democracy.'
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
Dozens of bodies found in militia-run sites in Libya's Tripoli; UN alarmed
The United Nations has raised grave concerns following the discovery of dozens of bodies in areas of the Libyan capital Tripoli previously controlled by a powerful militia, the Stabilisation Support Apparatus (SSA), whose leader was slain in clashes last month. United Nations rights chief Volker Turk said on Wednesday that his office was 'shocked' by evidence of severe human rights violations at detention sites run by the SSA, a group once led by Abdel-Ghani al-Kikli, who was killed during an eruption of fighting in mid-May in Tripoli. '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,' Turk said in a statement. Investigators were informed that 10 charred bodies were found at the SSA's base in Abu Salim, while another 67 corpses were recovered from hospital refrigerators at Abu Salim and Al Khadra facilities. A suspected burial site was also reported at the Tripoli Zoo, which had been under SSA control. The identities of the victims remain unknown. Turk called for the immediate sealing of all affected locations to preserve evidence, demanding international access to ensure accountability. Al-Kikli, among Tripoli's most influential militia commanders, had come into conflict with rival groups before his death. His SSA was officially tied to the Presidential Council under the UN-recognised Government of National Unity (GNU), formed in 2021. His assassination last month triggered fierce fighting across Tripoli, where several were killed and dozens wounded. Schools closed, a citywide curfew was imposed, and the UN Support Mission in Libya urged all parties to halt hostilities and protect civilians. With no unified national force, Tripoli remains at the mercy of competing armed factions, many of which operate with impunity. The UN continues to push for dialogue and a ceasefire mechanism as part of wider efforts to stabilise the country.
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
UN says dozens of bodies discovered in a section of Libyan capital run by armed militia
The United Nations human rights office expressed concerns on Wednesday about the discovery of dozens of bodies, some charred and buried and others in hospital refrigerators, in an area of Libya's capital controlled by an armed militia whose leader was killed last month. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said he was shocked by revelations that gross rights violations were uncovered at detention facilities in Tripoli run by the Stabilization Support Authority, or SSA, an armed group whose commander Abdel-Ghani al-Kikli, was killed in militia fighting in mid-May. The rights office said it later received information on the excavation of 10 charred bodies at the SSA headquarters in the Abu Salim neighborhood and 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. The office said the identities of the bodies were not immediately clear. '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,' Türk said in a statement. Türk called on authorities to seal the area to preserve evidence and said there needed to be accountability for the killings. He said the U.N. should be granted access to the sites to document rights violations.
The National
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Tripoli residents protest after wave of violent clashes between Libyan militias
More fighting broke out between rival armed groups in Tripoli on Wednesday night despite a truce announced hours earlier, prompting a protest demanding the resignation of the government. Violent clashes began on Monday, which ended three years of relative calm in Libya 's capital, following the killing of prominent militia leade, Abdel Ghani Al Kikli, also known as Gheniwa. Clashes flared between the Radaa force and the 444 Brigade in key areas of the city, including the port. Fighting had eased by the early hours of Thursday, according to television reports and residents who spoke to AFP, with some bakeries opening but schools remaining shut. No casualty figures were released but the Libyan Red Crescent said it had recovered a dead body from a major street in Tripoli. Protests broke out with hundreds of angry demonstrators flocking to Algiers Square in the heart of the capital, urging the so-called national unity government to step down. Demonstrations were seen in areas such as Souq Al Juma and Al Hadaba, with people holding signs demanding the resignation of the government, the withdrawal of all armed groups from residential areas and that state institutions are overseen by the proper authorities. The protesters denounced the culture of impunity and the absence of a political vision to end the division of the country, which remains split between a UN-recognised government in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east. The 444 Brigade controls parts of southern Tripoli and is aligned with Mr Dbeibah. Radaa controls areas of the capital's east and holds several key state facilities. The violence extended to southern and western Tripoli, as Radaa brought in reinforcements to fight the 444 Brigade, an Interior Ministry source said. The embassies of Germany, France, the US, Britain and Italy on Wednesday evening expressed "their deep concern about the recent violence in Tripoli", urging the "authorities to take all measures to protect civilians" in a statement. The UN mission in Libya said it was "deeply alarmed by escalating violence in densely populated neighbourhoods of Tripoli". In a statement, it called for "an immediate, unconditional ceasefire in all areas, allowing safe corridors for the evacuation of civilians trapped in intense conflict zones".
The National
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Who was Libya's militant leader Abdel Ghani Al Kikli?
One of Libya's most influential militia leaders, Abdel Ghani Al Kikli, known as Gheniwa, was killed on Monday night, triggering violent clashes across the capital Tripoli. Al Kikli was the commander of the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA), one of the city's most powerful militant groups, based in western Libya, in the densely populated Abu Salim neighbourhood. The group has been accused of committing atrocities and faces allegations of crimes against humanity during the country's long-running conflict. He was killed at the headquarters of the 444th Combat Brigade of the Libyan army, a militia commanded by Mahmoud Hamza, a warlord close to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. Al Kikli was a baker in 2011, when the Arab Spring sparked the uprising against former president Muammar Qaddafi. He rallied neighbours in his Abu Salim district to take over a local army barracks. Continuing clashes across the capital has left at least six people dead, according to Libya's Emergency Medicine and Support Centre. Libya expert Jalel Harchaoui told AFP that Al Kikli was likely ambushed at the base, citing a relative of the SSA leader. Mr Harchaoui described Al Kikli as one of Tripoli's 'most successful armed group leaders', with an 'ability to outmanoeuvre Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah'. Mr Harchaoui said this would mean a 'territorial reshuffle' in the capital, with the 444 Brigade seizing areas formerly controlled by the SSA. Al Kikli 'was de facto king of Tripoli,' Tarek Megerisi of the European Council on Foreign Relations told Reuters. 'His henchmen controlled the internal security agency … cash transfers from the central bank … numerous public companies and ministries'. It has been reported that Al Kikli was involved in disputes with rival armed groups, including those linked to the city of Misurata. The SSA militia is under the Presidential Council that came to power in 2021 with the government of national unity (GNU) of Mr Dbeibah through a UN-backed process. Amnesty International said on Tuesday that it has documented crimes including enforced disappearances and deaths in custody by SSA militia members under Al Kikli's command, as well as interceptions of refugees and migrants at sea that have been marred by reports of violence, leading to loss of life. Gunmen loyal to Al Kikli ran prisons and occupied government ministries and financial institutions. The human rights agency also called for the government to hold militia leaders across the country to account following the surrender of many SSA members, said the report. 'For years, the SSA terrorised people in Tripoli through enforced disappearances, torture, and other crimes under international law,' Mahmoud Shalaby, Egypt and Libya Researcher at Amnesty International, said in the report. 'SSA members subjected hundreds of migrants and refugees to torture, forced labour and rape after intercepting them at sea and returning them to detention centres under SSA's command,' he said. In addition, a United Nations panel of experts reported in December that Al Kikli was a central figure in Libya's balance of power, playing a key role in militia financing through corrupt practices.
