The noose began to tighten on the leaders and members of the al-Kani militia, which committed the most heinous massacres in the city of Tarhuna, including killing, abuse and forcible disappearance of civilians, leaving behind mass graves containing hundreds of bodies.
These crimes were committed under the cover of its commander, Khalifa Haftar, who provided it with support and weapons in his failed aggression against Tripoli, before fleeing eastward after the brutal defeat at the hands of the Libyan army forces last June.
European sanctions
The European Union imposed sanctions on the leaders of the Al Kani militia, Mohamed and Abdul Rahim; Because of their involvement in the mass massacres in Tarhuna.
According to the European Union gazette, the Alkani militia is responsible for the extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances of many people during their time in control of the city.
The Italian news site Ansamed stated that this militia had slaughtered men, women and children, to maintain power.
The site indicated that the Al-Kani militia opened its doors to Haftar in 2019, which made Tarhuna one of the most important bridges for his failed attack on the capital.
US sanctions
In November 2020, the United States included the Al Kani militia and its leader on its blacklist under the “Global Magnitsky Act”, which authorizes the US government to target human rights violators around the world, after Russia obstructed the imposition of sanctions on them in the Security Council; because of its crimes against humanity.
The US Treasury accused Al Kani of being responsible for killing civilians in mass graves in Tarhuna, as well as torture, enforced disappearance, and displacement of civilians.
Local arrest warrants
Last February, the Military Prosecutor’s Office issued an internal arrest warrant against 3,028 persons belonging to the so-called “9th Brigade” known as Al Kaniyat; Because of their involvement in the mass graves found in Tarhuna, and their participation in the aggression against Tripoli.
In June 2020, the Public Prosecutor issued arrest warrants for 20 Al Kani militia accused of committing mass grave crimes in Tarhuna.
Crimes against humanity
The Al-Kani militia committed hundreds of crimes, including murder, kidnapping, disappearance and torture, during their control of Tarhuna, which affected even children.
These militias have left more than 27 mass graves so far, from which more than 200 corpses of children, women and men have been recovered, the last of which was the family of Al-Falous, consisting of a father and three children, the youngest of whom was born in 2010.
