IOM and UN note discovery of mass graves in Libya after police raid; circumstances and nationalities unknown

The International Organization for Migration reported the discovery of two mass graves in Libya following a police raid that rescued hundreds of migrants, the UN spokesperson said.

According to the briefing, 19 bodies were found in Jaqqara, about 400 kilometers south of Benghazi, and at least 30 bodies were found in a mass grave in the Al Khufra Desert in the southeast; the second grave may contain as many as 70 bodies. The circumstances of death and the nationalities of the deceased remain unknown.

The spokesperson said the bodies were found following a police operation in which hundreds of migrants were rescued from traffickers. He said the IOM expressed “shock and concern” and urged Libyan authorities to ensure dignified recovery, identification and transfer of remains while notifying and assisting families.

In follow-up questions, reporters asked which Libyan forces conducted the operation; the spokesperson said that was a question for Libyan authorities, while noting that IOM acknowledged and supported the Libyan authorities’ investigative efforts.

The UN advisory committee for Libya concluded an inaugural two-day meeting in Tripoli and discussed rules of procedure, work plans and contentious issues in the electoral framework; the deputy special representative for Libya said committee outcomes would inform subsequent phases of the political process.