Nearly 50 Bodies Found In Two Libya Mass Graves Reveals Tragic Fate Of Dozens Of Migrants

Libyan authorities discover nearly 50 bodies in mass graves in its southeastern desert-the latest grim turn in the mass of migrants fleeing North Africa across the Mediterranean seeking a better life in Europe.

The security directorate announced yesterday that a mass grave dug on Friday at a farm in Kufra had 19 bodies in it. The remains were transported for autopsy. Later on, another mass grave was found at a migrant detention center in the city and contained at least 30 bodies, reports head of the Kufra security chamber Mohamed al-Fadeil.

Accounts by survivors indicate the site may house up to 70 people who are buried; the authorities remain in the site searching. A humanitarian organization by the name Al-Abreen reported that before being buried some of the victims were shot.

This is not the first such discovery in Libya, a major transit hub for migrants from Africa and the Middle East seeking passage to Europe. Last year, authorities exhumed at least 65 bodies from a mass grave in the Shuayrif region, south of Tripoli.

Human traffickers have exploited Libya’s prolonged instability, smuggling people across its borders with six neighboring countries, including Chad, Niger, and Egypt. Rights groups and UN agencies have long documented the mistreatment of migrants in Libya, including forced labor, torture, and sexual violence, often used to extort money from families.

Migrants intercepted at sea and sent back to Libya are often detained in state-run detention centers, where they again face abuses.

Libya has suffered from chaos since the 2011 NATO-assisted uprising that overthrew and killed Muammar Gaddafi. The country has divided into two governments: one in the east supported by various militias and foreign partners, and one in the west.