Crimes against humanity, war crimes committed in Libya: UN probe

War crimes and crimes against humanity, including the use of child soldiers, have been committed in Libya since 2016, a UN investigation revealed.

The Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, established by the UN Human Rights Council, said Europe-bound migrants face abuse in detention centers and at the hands of traffickers, while detainees languishing in horrific conditions are tortured, AFP reported..

“There are reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes have been committed in Libya, while violence perpetrated in prisons and against migrants there may amount to crimes against humanity,” the mission said in a statement.

Their report documents the recruitment and direct participation of children in hostilities, plus the enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killings of prominent women.

The mission established that from late 2019, Turkey facilitated the recruitment of Syrian child mercenaries aged 15 to 18 to fight alongside the Government of National Accord’s forces.

The unrest in the north African country has had a dramatic impact on Libyans’ economic, social and cultural rights, said the mission.

“All parties to the conflicts, including third states, foreign fighters and mercenaries, have violated international humanitarian law, in particular the principles of proportionality and distinction, and some have also committed war crimes,” said Mohamed Auajjar, who chaired the three-person mission.

The mission said it had identified individuals and groups — both Libyan and foreign — who may bear responsibility for the violations, abuses and crimes.

The list will remain confidential until it can be shared with appropriate accountability mechanisms.