The International Criminal Court unsealed arrest warrants on Friday for six Libyan militia members accused of war crimes. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had previously mentioned that war crimes warrants had been issued for Libya since 2011, but they remained sealed, leaving the identities and charges unclear.
The newly released warrants revealed that six Libyan nationals were charged with war crimes, including murder, torture, cruel treatment, s3xual violence, and some with rape.
These individuals were members of the Kaniyat militia, which had allied with the eastern Libyan National Army during its failed 14-month assault on Tripoli.
Libya has struggled with instability since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising, and despite a halt to major fighting in 2020, armed groups continue to dominate in the politically divided country.
The United States and Britain imposed sanctions on the group in 2020 following the collapse of the Tripoli assault and again in 2021 over accusations of human rights violations.
Libya’s ongoing unrest was referred to the International Criminal Court by the U.N. Security Council in 2011, with the ICC stating that its investigation has focused on alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed since February 15 of that year.
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