National Human Rights Committee of Libya (NHRCL) expressed Monday “its strong condemnation and denunciation” of the outbreak of armed clashes and violence that took place on Sunday evening in al-Zawiyah, between armed groups affiliated with Interior and Defense ministries of the Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Abdul Hamid Dabaiba.
“Armed clashes erupted inside streets and residential neighborhoods densely populated by civilians, turning these residential neighborhoods and streets into a battlefield among themselves in flagrant disregard for the lives of innocent civilians,” NHRCL said in a statement on Monday.
The Committee called on Public Prosecutor, Military Prosecutor, GNU Interior Ministry to open a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the armed clashes to identify those directly responsible and to ensure that they are brought to justice and held accountable.
NHRCL stressed that renewal of violence and armed clashes from time to time between armed groups and formations, that enjoy GNU’s legitimacy, represents a major failure of the Libyan Presidential Council and GNU in ensuring the security, safety, protection of civilians.
“The Committee also holds the Government of National Unity and the Libyan Presidential Council (PC), fully legally responsible for the civilian casualties and injuries that resulted from these unfortunate events in Al-Zawiya, and for the massive damage caused to public and private properties as a result of the armed clashes,” the statement noted out.
“The Committee also calls on the International Sanctions Committee for Libya to implement UN Security Council Resolutions No. (2174), (2259), (2570) and (2571), which provide for the prosecution of anyone who plans, directs or commits acts that violate international law or human rights in Libya, as well as those who support acts that threaten the peace, stability or security of Libya, or obstruct or undermine the political transition process in the country.”