Rage and fear spread among Libyans after the escalation of “attacks of vengeance for detainees and civilians” after three men were shot dead in Derna in murders that were reminiscent of those committed by the ISIS terrorist group.
They were killed in retaliation to commander from the Libyan National Army forces (LNA) Mahmoud al-Werfalli’s alleged killing of 10 people in front of the Radwan mosque in the city of Benghazi. Some citizens said that five bodies were found in a trash dumpster on the side of a road in Benghazi. There has been no official confirmation or denial of the discovery.
Derna residents decried the so-called pro-Qaeda Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna for killing the three men on Thursday on charges of cooperating with the LNA.
Member of the High Council of State Mansour al-Hasadi called for putting an end to executions outside the law, denouncing their execution without a fair trial.
“Killing without a trial is forbidden and criminal. It is a violation of the most basic human rights. It is rejected regardless of the reasons or justifications,” he added, while condemning terrorism.
He stated to Asharq Al-Awsat that these murders would fracture the social fabric and increase chaos, which would affect any opportunity for stability in Libya.
LNA forces are besieging Derna, which is held by the Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna.
A local official reported to Asharq Al-Awsat that these practices are rejected. “ISIS-style revenge killings have become a danger to us,” he added.
The National Human Rights Committee – Libya considered in a statement on Friday that the collective field executions of prisoners and detainees suspected of belonging to terrorist organizations without revealing their identities, reasons behind arresting them and investigations results, are a crime similar to those committed by ISIS.
