Libya blasts Amnesty report on human rights abuses

Libyan authorities have rejected an Amnesty International (AI) report accusing the Libyan National Army (LNA) of shelling civilians trapped in the Ganfuda area of Benghazi.

In a workshop organised by the eastern-based Foreign Media Authority (FMA) officials said the report was “fabricated” by an organisation “supposed to be a neutral party in dealing with international issues”.

“The war [against the terrorists] is about to end and the army heroes have achieved major victories on the ground and all the rumours of allegations and accusations are defamation of the Libyan military,” LNA spokesman Colonel Ahmad Mesmari said at the workshop.

Mesmari claimed that the allegations of human rights abuses were manipulated for “dangerous political purposes” and those who formulated the report were failing in the task they were charged with.

The LNA stated they it is in constant contact with families and foreign labourers in Ganfuda and had offered safe passage by dropping leaflets by plane and coordinating with the Red Crescent Society.

The problem lies with extremist groups and their families who refuse to leave or who use other families as human shields, Mesmari claimed.