(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff)
30 bodies were found dead in eastern Libya on Friday.
14 bodies were found in a garbage bin in Benghazi and were brought by the Red Crescent to the Benghazi Medical Centre. It was evident that all 14 were killed execution style as they all had gunshot wounds to the head as reported by a doctor at the medical centre who refused to be named.
UN special envoy to Libya Martin Kobler said these murders were a “war crime.” In a twitter post on Friday Kobler said he was “utterly shocked and dismayed by the summary execution of a number of people in Benghazi.”
It is not clear who the 14 people were but reports have confirmed that they were found in Haftar controlled territory in Benghazi.
The other 16 were reportedly killed after a French warplane dropped a bomb on their location just outside Benghazi allegedly in revenge for the two French troops killed in eastern Libya.
Antoine Sivan, French ambassador to Libya, has denied that French warplanes were ever in Libya. Sivan said that “France has carried out no air strikes in Libya. It formally denies accusations that contribute to sow doubt and division in the country.” The French ambassador called for national unity urging all groups to work together to strengthen Libya.
Sivan’s statement is inconsistent with the statements issued from France confirming military operations in coordination with General Khalifa Haftar, who has refused to recognize the internationally recognized and UN-backed Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA). If anything France’s presence in Libya without permission of the GNA is in violation of its sovereignty.
By working with Haftar France is “blatantly violating UNSCR (United Nation Security Council Resolution) 2259 that specifies unity govt as only legit authority” confirmed Hanan Salah, a researcher on Libya for the Human Rights Watch.
Benghazi has been facing instability and security threats initially with ISIS presence followed by Haftar’s Operation Volcano.