Amnesty: Possible War Crimes in Fighting for Libya's Capital
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 7:19 am
FILE - A smoke plume rises in Tajoura, south of the Libyan capital Tripoli, June 29, 2019, following a reported airstrike.
CAIRO - A leading rights group says it has evidence of potential war crimes by Libyan factions fighting a months-long battle for the capital, Tripoli.
A report by Amnesty International released Tuesday said warring parties have killed and maimed scores of civilians. The report says both sides are launching indiscriminate attacks and using inaccurate explosive weapons in populated urban areas.
Brian Castner, a senior adviser with Amnesty, says such attacks ``could amount to war crimes.''
Rival militias have been fighting in and around Tripoli since April.
A U.N.-supported but weak government holds the capital. Forces associated with a rival government in the country's east are trying to seize it.
The U.N. says the fighting has killed or wounded more than 100 civilians and has displaced more than 100,000.