Libya gripped by unrest as 58 bodies found amid militia clashes
Authorities have discovered fifty-eight bodies stored in a mortuary refrigerator at a hospital in Tripoli, which had been controlled by a militia engaged in recent conflicts in the Libyan city, The National reported on May 20th.
According to the Interior Ministry of the UN-supported government overseeing western Libya, these deaths were not reported to officials, and 35 of the deceased remain unidentified.
On May 19th, the Interior Ministry reported that the bodies were found at Abu Salim Accident Hospital, located in the densely populated Abu Salim district of Tripoli. The ministry released photos online showing the corpses lying on beds with their faces blurred for privacy. Some of the deceased showed signs of burns.
The ministry said, “So far, 23 corpses have been examined, and all necessary legal procedures have been taken, including documenting data and collecting samples.” The statement also mentioned that the bodies had been stored “for a period of time” without any notification to the police.
The recent clashes followed the reported death of Abdelghani Al Kikli, the commander of the Support Force Apparatus SSA, an armed group supported by the Libyan government and recognised as one of the influential militias operating in Tripoli’s densely populated Abu Salim district.
According to the United Nations, the clashes claimed the lives of at least eight civilians, although Libyan officials have not yet provided an official casualty count. A ceasefire was implemented on May 14th.
The corpses found in the hospital refrigerator represent the second group discovered in recent days. On May 17th, authorities reported that nine bodies were located in cold storage at Al Khadra Hospital, another facility in Abu Salim under the control of the Stabilisation Support Apparatus (SSA), according to Reuters.
Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Libya’s current Prime Minister, stated on May 17th that his objective is to dismantle all militias, describing it as an “ongoing project.” In a televised speech, he emphasised that armed groups must submit to state authority.
He said, “We will welcome all those who choose to stand with the state. We will sideline those who resort to blackmail and corruption.”
He also added that certain militias “had grown excessively, to the point of controlling the entire political, financial, economic, and even social landscape.”
In recent days, residents of Tripoli have protested in the streets, condemning the violence and calling for Dbeibah to step down due to the ongoing clashes.
The National/ Reuters/ Maghrebi.org
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