UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) strongly condemned “the heinous killing” on Friday morning of at least 15 migrants and asylum-seekers in Sabratha, west of Tripoli.
Eleven charred bodies were found inside the docked boat with a further four wounded bodies found outside, UNSMIL said in a statement Sunday.
While the exact circumstances remain to be determined, the killings reportedly resulted from armed clashes between rival traffickers, the Mission pointed out.
UNSMIL called on Libyan authorities to ensure a swift, independent and transparent investigation to bring all perpetrators to justice
“This attack is a stark reminder of the lack of protection migrants and asylum-seekers face in Libya, and the widespread human rights violations undertaken by powerful trafficking and criminal networks who need to be swiftly stopped and prosecuted,” according to UNSMIL.