Libyan authorities recently uncovered two mass graves in the southeastern desert city of Kufra, revealing a grim tragedy linked to human trafficking.
The first grave, found on a farm, contained 19 bodies, some of whom appeared to have been shot before burial. A separate grave, discovered during a raid on a trafficking center, held at least 30 bodies. Survivors claimed as many as 70 people were buried there, prompting continued searches by authorities.
Mass graves of migrants are not uncommon in Libya, a country that has become a major transit point for African and Middle Eastern migrants seeking to reach Europe. The chaos following the 2011 NATO-backed ousting of Moammar Gadhafi has fueled ongoing instability, allowing human traffickers to exploit desperate migrants.
Traffickers often subject migrants to abuse, including forced labor, torture, and extortion. Many are packed onto unsafe boats for dangerous Mediterranean crossings. Those intercepted are held in abusive government-run detention centers, where rights groups and U.N. agencies have documented systematic violence, including rape and torture.
