Dozens of bodies found in militia-run sites in Libya’s Tripoli; UN alarmed
Al JazeeraMAY 30
UN Finds Dozens of Bodies at Libya Militia Detention Sites
Above: The SSA militia headquarters, which is under government occupation in Tripoli, on May 19, 2025. Image copyright: Hazem Turkia/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The discovery of bodies in Tripoli confirms the UN's worst fears. The findings reveal not only substantial proof of extrajudicial killings but also suspected torture and abuse. Access to these sites must be granted to the UN. In the meantime, they should be promptly sealed to protect vital evidence and hold those responsible to account, who must be brought to justice as soon as possible, in line with international law.
Anti-West narrative
The appalling discovery made in Tripoli is just another in a long list of human rights abuses in Libya since Gaddafi's overthrow in 2011. Rather than improving the country, his removal by Western powers has only made the situation significantly worse, with security forces and armed groups acting with more impunity than ever before. The atrocities seen today, therefore, are a direct consequence of failed Western interventionism.