In June, more than 80 bodies were discovered at multiple official and unofficial detention sites operated by a militia in Tripoli. The remains were uncovered after the militia lost territorial control over these sites following clashes between rival armed groups in May. According to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, investigators also found instruments of torture and abuse near the victims, as well as evidence that may point to extrajudicial killings. The militia in question had reportedly been tasked with stopping migrants from reaching Europe. As a result, observers have suggested that many of the victims may be migrants.

Sources: United Nations, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Info Migrants

On 13 May, heavy fighting broke out in Tripoli between rival armed groups associated with different parts of the Government of National Unity (GNU), one of Libya’s two competing administrations. The clashes started after a leader of an armed group was killed, escalating tensions between the different armed groups. At least eight civilians were killed during the clashes, which took place in residential areas and involved heavy weapons. A ceasefire was reached the next day. On 16 May, thousands of people began protesting against the GNU, calling for the dismantling of armed militias that have become entrenched in the state. Demonstrations continued weekly throughout the month, and amid mounting public pressure, three cabinet ministers resigned.

Sources: Middle East Eye, Reuters, Libya Observer, Arab News, Human Rights Watch, Libya Review, New Lines Magazine

On 12 May, the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) accepted the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) jurisdiction over crimes committed in Libya between 2011 and 2027. This move took place under Article 12(3) of the Rome Statute, which allows non-member states to accept the Court’s authority for specific cases or periods, and transforms Libya’s cooperation with the ICC from a United Nations Security Council mandate (stemming from a 2011 referral of the Libyan situation), into a direct legal obligation under the Rome Statute. The declaration obligates Libya to surrender suspects, share evidence, support investigations, and protect victims and witnesses, enabling prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, these obligations have yet to translate into practice, as cooperation to date is limited and key suspects have not been surrendered.

Sources: International Criminal Court, Libya Crimes Watch, The Libya Observer, The New Arab, International Commission of Jurists

On 2 April, the Internal Security Agency (ISA), an agency of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, suspended the operations of 10 international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in providing humanitarian assistance to migrants. Authorities stated that the organizations were involved in financial irregularities and activities considered a threat to national security and the country’s ‘demographic composition’, alleging that the organisations supported the settlement of sub-Saharan migrants. The suspension is expected to disrupt aid and protection efforts for migrant communities. Over 700,000 migrants currently reside in the country, according to the International Organization for Migration. 

Sources: Al Wasat, Associated Press, The New Arab, International Commission of Jurists, Libya Herald, International Organization for Migration

In early February, Libyan security forces uncovered two mass graves in the southeastern desert, believed to contain the remains of migrants. The first site was found in Jikharra, and the second in the Al-Kufra district. By 19 February, a total of 93 bodies had been exhumed from both locations, according to the United Nations (UN). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that the victims' nationalities and causes of death remain unknown, though some showed signs of gunshot wounds. The discovery of the graves came in connection to a raid on suspected human trafficking sites, where 76 migrants were freed and three suspects arrested. In 2024, the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project recorded 965 deaths and disappearances of migrants in Libya.

Sources: International Organisation for Migration, United Nations, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project