Tripoli, Libya – Libya’s public prosecution has ordered the arrest and detention of those responsible for the Abu Salim massacre that left 10 people dead. The prosecutor’s office statement did not identify any suspects.
The attorney general’s office said it acted after receiving a report that 10 people gathered at a house in the Abu Salim area were killed for various reasons. Investigators inspected the crime scene, documented observations, gathered evidence, and examined the victims’ bodies.
Autopsy reports indicated the victims died of gunshot wounds from firearms. The prosecution said the investigation has obtained evidence to understand the circumstances around the incident and identify the perpetrators.
The attorney general directed Tripoli security authorities to apprehend and detain the accused suspects.
Last Sunday, Tripoli’s security director announced that Abu Salim police station received a report around 1:30 AM Sunday about the killing of 10 people, some affiliated with the Stability Support Apparatus, by an armed unidentified group near the Abushaala Mosque.
Prosecutors and criminal investigators visited the site to collect fingerprint evidence and inspect the house where the bodies were found. The deceased had several gunshot wounds and were taken to the Abu Salim Trauma Hospital morgue while the prosecution ordered forensic examination to determine details around the killings.
The UN mission in Libya called for an “independent, rapid and thorough investigation” into the massacre and urged parties to prevent escalation of violence. The UN has previously warned of serious risks from ongoing security factions’ rivalries in Tripoli.