Last week, Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) announced control over Tarhuna, a key city to the southeast of capital Tripoli, after pushing back eastern forces led by renegade general Khalifa Haftar. The town was previously occupied by the self-styled Libya National Army (LNA) forces loyal to Haftar.
It’s unclear at this point who was responsible for the mass graves.
Tarhuna had been critical for Haftar’s forces as a supply route and strategic base for their assaults on Tripoli. The town is the last major stronghold by Haftar’s forces in western Libya.
The UNSMIL said the Libyan Justice Minister will establish a committee to look into the graves. “We call on its members to promptly undertake the work aimed at securing the mass graves, identifying the victims, establishing causes of death and returning the bodies to next of kin,” the statement added.
Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, David Schenker, also responded, describing reports on the mass graves in Libya “truly disturbing.”
The Libyan conflict has grown into a proxy war between foreign powers and fighters over the last year. While the UN-recognized GNA is backed by Turkey, the Benghazi-based eastern government is supported by the UAE, Egypt and Russia.
