Libyan officials have discovered a mass grave containing the remains of 21 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, according to local media reports from yesterday.
News agencies reported that government sources said a Libyan national has been apprehended on suspicion of murdering migrants and detaining others on a farm in the northeastern town of Ajdabiya.
Libya serves as a crucial transit nation for numerous migrants striving to reach Europe annually, with frequent reports of fatalities among these individuals.
The Internal Security Agency of eastern Libya reported the discovery of a mass grave comprising the remains of 21 victims of diverse African nationalities, as stated by the television channel al-Masar.
The station, affiliated with eastern Libya’s military leader Khalifa Haftar, reported that the suspect was apprehended during a raid on the property.
Libya is divided between an eastern administration supported by Haftar and a western government acknowledged by the United Nations.
The independent news channel Al Wasat said that the individual had detained migrants on the property, some of whom were rescued and hospitalized following the operation.
Local media sites disseminated photos and videos depicting victims amassed together, beside over a dozen body bags arranged on the ground.
Libya has faced difficulties in recuperating from the turmoil that ensued following a NATO-supported insurrection in 2011, which deposed the longstanding tyrant Moamer Kadhafi.
Smugglers and human traffickers have exploited the instability, while the country endures criticism regarding migrant conditions, with rights groups alleging extortion and enslavement.
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