Report (8): Mass Graves in Libya: Parties Involved and the Role of the UN

Introduction:

After the forces of the United Nations-recognized Government of National Accord retook the city of Tarhuna in Libya, 90 km southeast of Tripoli, from the grip of retired general Haftar’s forces, many reports emerged of the existence of mass graves in the city dug by the Haftar’s forces before they left.

The Public Authority for Search and Identification of Missing Persons, a government agency affiliated with the National Accord Government, posted photos on its Facebook account of dead bodies that it said were buried in a mass grave in a farm. The Authority confirmed that ten bodies were lifted despite the discovery of “messing” with them, noting that it appreciates peoples grieve for their missing sons, but they have to help specialists, instead of extracting the bodies themselves.

In turn, the head of the Authority, Kamal Abu Bakr, said in a press conference that he had received a notification from the municipality of Tarhuna that there were mass graves, including bodies in garbage dumps, stressing that the coming days would carry more information. The Minister of the Interior of the Government of National Accord, Fathi Bashagha, visited the city of Tarhuna, confirming that extensive searches were conducted to find these graves and to identify the identities of the dead.