Libya conflict: UN says all sides probably guilty of war crimes

All sides in the Libyan conflict are probably guilty of war crimes, including torturing, raping and executing prisoners, the UN has said, urging the world to do more to bring the perpetrators to justice.

 

“A multitude of actors, both state and non-state, are accused of very serious violations and abuses that may, in many cases, amount to war crimes,” said the UN’s human rights chief, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.

 

A report released on Thursday documenting abuses committed in Libya between 2014 and 2015 said the situation had deteriorated dramatically during that period.

 

Libya has had rival administrations since the summer of 2014, when the recognised government fled Tripoli after the Fajr Libya militia alliance including Islamists overran the capital.

 

A power vacuum since the 2011 toppling ofMuammar Gaddafi has fostered the rise of Islamic State (Isis) in the country, which is headquartered in the former dictator’s hometown of Sirte, but control of Benghazi remains divided between a collection of militias.

 

The report details how most major armed groups in the country have carried out unlawful killings, mainly executing people they had taken captive as well as those seen voicing dissent.

 

The six-member investigation team behind the report was able to visit Libya only briefly during its year-long inquiry due to the dire security situation in the country but conducted interviews with more than 200 victims and witnesses.

 

Read More: Libya conflict: UN says all sides probably guilty of war crimes | World news | The Guardian