HRW addresses Al-Abyar massacre

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned the execution of 36 people in eastern Libya under the control of controversial strongman Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The New York-based watchdog called on Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) to make good on a promise to investigate the latest killings and to hand over a suspect wanted by the International Criminal Court in connection with previous executions. The bodies were found near Al-Abyar on 26 October. HRW noted that most of the victims photographed had their hands tied behind their backs with plastic handcuffs. Each was lying in what appeared to be a pool of blood. The majority had visible gunshot wounds to the head, neck or face. ‘The LNA will be condoning apparent war crimes if their pledge to investigate the gruesome discovery in Al-Abyar proves to be another empty promise,’ said HRW's deputy Middle East and North Africa director, Eric Goldstein.