Two new mass graves were found by the Search and Identification Authority for the Missing Persons found in Tarhuna. They contained bodies of people that have not yet been identified, while the authorities have discovered, since last June, 27 mass graves inside the city.
About 120 corpses were exhumed from the discovered graves, including bodies of women and children, after the expulsion of the “Al-Kaniyat” group accused of killing, kidnapping, detaining and torturing hundreds of residents of the area.
Some of the unearthed graves contained complete bodies, while others contained parts of the bodies and remains, most of which were found in the agricultural area (Mashroa Al-Rabit).
For its part, the Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor confirmed that the crimes committed by Al-Kaniyat group in Tarhuna, which are murder and enforced disappearance, fall under the clause of crimes against humanity that fall within the duties of the International Criminal Court, which require the prosecution and punishment of the leaders responsible for them under the principle of commander’s responsibility.
The Euro-Med Monitor praised the efforts of the Search and Identification Authority for the Missing Persons after the two new graves were found in the major agricultural area in Tarhuna.
The Euro-Med Monitor called on the United Nations to provide forensic experts to identify the bodies of the missing to assist the Government of National Accord in its investigations about graves, and to make the necessary efforts to uncover the fate of the perpetrators of these crimes and bring them to a fair trial.
It also indicated that the reported cases of enforced disappearance in Tarhuna amounted to about 340 reports, suggesting that “Al-Kaniyat” group is the one behind it.
“Human Rights Watch” called on the Government of National Accord two days ago to investigate the files of missing persons from Tarhuna city, following the discovery of mass graves last summer.
It is noteworthy that the United States has blacklisted Al-Kaniyat, along with its leader, Mohammad Al-Kani, accusing him and his group of torturing and killing civilians during a brutal crackdown in Libya.
