Libyan general orders unconditional release of families

The commander-in-chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA), General Khalifa Haftar, has ordered the immediate and unconditional release of families detained during the liberation of the west of Benghazi. Those who will not be released are currently facing criminal charges.

The move comes amidst national and international outrage following the emergence of footage after the recapture of the coastal city. It showed the summary execution of prisoners and their bodies being paraded through the streets.

Read: Haftar’s forces claim victory in battles in east Libya

The LNA has since confirmed that those guilty of “war crimes” will be arrested. A key suspect, Mahmoud Werfalli, is wanted for killing four men in two separately-filmed executions.

Jalal Al-Shweidi, a member of the Benghazi House of Representatives, has demanded that Haftar and the army chief of staff, Abdelrazak Nazhuri, attend parliament without delay to explain how the crimes were allowed to happen and what they are doing about them.