Libya: Authorities discover mass grave containing 28 migrants

Libyan authorities have uncovered the bodies of at least 28 migrants in a mass grave in southeastern Libya, according to the country’s Attorney General.

The grave, located north of Kufra, was discovered shortly after another mass grave containing 19 bodies was found on a farm in the same region, as reported by the BBC.

The grave was located following a raid on a human trafficking site, where 76 migrants were freed after being detained and tortured.

The office of the Attorney General posted the information on Facebook, revealing that one Libyan national and two foreigners had been arrested in connection with the trafficking operation.

The Attorney General’s office condemned the actions of the trafficking gang, describing them as cruel, humiliating, and inhumane.

Authorities also released images showing police and volunteers excavating the grave and recovering the bodies, which were placed in black bags. These images have not been independently verified by the BBC.

The search in Kufra, located over 1,700 kilometers from the capital, Tripoli, is ongoing.

The bodies have been taken for autopsies, with investigators suspecting connections to smuggling networks. Authorities are documenting the testimonies of survivors as part of the ongoing investigation.

This discovery follows a similar find in 2023, when the bodies of at least 65 migrants were recovered from a mass grave in southwestern Libya.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) had described that discovery as “deeply shocking.”

Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has become a key transit point for migrants attempting to cross the desert and Mediterranean Sea in hopes of reaching Europe. In 2024, UNICEF reported that over 2,200 people died or went missing in the Mediterranean while trying to make the perilous journey.

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