Commander linked to LNA behind latest Libya summary executions

A Saiqa Forces commander linked to the Libyan National Army (LNA) has been accused of another extrajudicial killing this time at the scene of a car bombing that killed over 30 people this week in Benghazi.

The now notorious Mahmoud Al-Werfalli, linked to Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar’s self-styled LNA, is alleged to be behind yesterday’s extrajudicial killings in the LNA-controlled city of Benghazi, which took place outside the Bait Radwan mosque where the twin explosions took place.

Pictures emerged last night showing a man believed to be Werfelli standing in front of 10 blindfolded men with a gun pointing towards them.

The killings are believed to be a “revenge” killing for the car bombings, which left over 34 people dead and 71 others wounded.

Read: Lawyers blast Libya’s inability to investigate war criminals

No investigations were conducted into the two explosions and so Werfalli and his supporters reportedly took matters in their own hands after one of their senior commanders, Chief of Arrest and Special Investigation Unit of Dignity Operation, Ahmed Al-Fituri, was killed in the first blast.

Whilst the incident was taking place UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame held a meeting with Haftar in a village near the east of Benghazi. Salame condemned the bombings and held discussions with Haftar on the country’s political process.

The UN Libya mission today said it was alarmed by the reports of “brutal and outrageous summary executions”.

Werfalli, a senior field commander of the Saiqa Force of the LNA, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for a similar incident last year when he was seen orchestrating the summary execution of a dozen prisoners dressed in orange.

According to Dignity Operation commanders Werfalli is supposed to be under arrest after the LNA agreed to investigate the matter but Werfalli has failed to be investigated and remains free to continue the group’s operations.