On November 25, the US Treasury Department announced the inclusion of the Al-Kani militia, and its leader, Mohamed Al-Kani, on the blacklist of human rights violators. As a result of mass grave crimes, their torture and killing of civilians, with the extent of their ugliness is still unfolding day after day.
The inclusion of Al Kani militia on the blacklist came after the US Congress passed a law to support stability in Libya, which deals with setting the political framework of the US State Department towards Libya, and calls for the reduction of international interference in Libya.
Washington has hinted on several occasions through senior officials in the administration of President Donald Trump that they will impose sanctions on those obstructing the United Nations-led dialogue to reach a solution in Libya.
A brutal crackdown
“Mohamed Al-Kani and the Al-Kani militia tortured and killed civilians during the brutal crackdown in Libya,” said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
“The United States stands with the Libyan people and will use all its forces and capabilities to target human rights violators in Libya,” Mnuchin added.
Concrete actions
The US ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, confirmed that the US Treasury’s imposition of sanctions on “Muhammad Al-Kani” and the “Al-Kani Militia” shows that it will take concrete measures in response to human rights violations and corruption.
Norland said, in a statement published by the embassy on Friday, that the role of the United States in Libya does not include dealing with supporters of the political process, but also implementing some punitive measures against those who try to obstruct this process.
Norland explained, “We will provide full support for the accountability of the” bad “actors who have brought suffering to the Libyan people and act benefiting from the state of impunity.
Massacres of hundreds of civilians
US Secretary of State “Mike Pompeo” affirmed that the United States of America will continue to take concrete measures on the background of the gross violations of human rights in Libya, which undermine the peace, security and stability process.
Pompeo pointed out that his country imposed sanctions on the Al-Kani militia, and its commander Mohamed Al-Kani, for committing massacres of hundreds of civilians in recent years.