from AHMED ZAYED in Tripoli, Libya
Libya Bureau
TRIPOLI, (CAJ News) – THERE is shock and concern at the discovery of two mass graves containing at least 49 corpses of migrants in Libya.
Some are with gunshot wounds.
Nineteen bodies were discovered in Jakharrah, around 400 km south of Benghazi, while at least 30 more were found in a mass grave in the Al Kufra desert in the southeast.
It is believed the second grave may contain as many as 70 bodies.
The circumstances of their deaths and nationalities remain unknown.
Their graves were both discovered following a police raid, during which hundreds of migrants were rescued from traffickers. Security forces continue operations to capture those responsible.
“The loss of these lives is yet another tragic reminder of the dangers faced by migrants embarking on perilous journeys,” said Nicoletta Giordano, International Organization for Migration (IOM) Libya Chief of Mission.
“Far too many migrants along these journeys endure severe exploitation, violence and abuse, underscoring the need to prioritize human rights and protect those at risk.”
Last March the bodies of 65 migrants were found in a mass grave in the southwest of the country.
According to IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, out of the 965 recorded deaths and disappearances in Libya in 2024, more than 22 percent occurred on land routes, highlighting the often-overlooked risks migrants face on land routes, where fatalities frequently go unreported.
– CAJ News