UN condemns brutal killing of 15 migrants in Libya

Fifteen bodies of migrants, some of them burned, were found on Friday on Sabrada beach (70 km from the capital Tripoli), the main point of departure for thousands of people who want to reach the Italian coast every year.

“Eleven charred bodies were found inside the tied boat and four bodies were found outside with injuries,” Manul said in a statement.

“While the exact circumstances remain to be determined, the killings are believed to be the result of armed conflicts between rival traffickers,” which urged Libyan authorities to “guarantee swift, free and transparent trials to bring all perpetrators to justice.” justice Justice”.

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The tragedy is a “grim reminder of the insecurity faced by migrants and asylum seekers in Libya and the widespread human rights abuses perpetrated by powerful networks of traffickers and criminals”, the UN said.

According to local media, the migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, were shot dead following an argument between smugglers.

A feuding gang of smugglers set the boat on fire on Friday, the same sources said.

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The chaos that followed the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011 made Libya a preferred route for tens of thousands of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, the Arab world and South Asia, eager to reach Europe via Italy.

These migrants fall prey to smugglers who do not die while attempting the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean, and Libya continues to be singled out by NGOs for their ill-treatment.

Two governments, backed by two rival camps in western and eastern Libya, have been vying for power since March.

Since the beginning of the year, 14,157 migrants have been intercepted and sent back to Libya, according to a report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) published last Monday. According to the IOM, at least 216 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean and 724 are missing and presumed dead.