Mass graves in Libya, war crimes and the accountability of accomplices

Those who want to impose the putschist Haftar on Libya as a party in the political process are in fact the very ones who armed him from the start, sent him into the field, and tried to have him carry out a coup against the legitimate government. For them, Haftar is nothing but a tool, a pair of tongs, for their despicable calculations in Libya, for unjustly seizing Libya's land and resources. But it is a tool that gives them the opportunity to say a great many things within a story. The story goes like this: Haftar represents the national army in a divided Libya, and he asks us for help in the struggle against the terrorists who have seized the administration in the West, and we are helping.

- Who are these so-called terrorists?

- The legitimate administration in Libya.

- What do they have to do with terror? On the contrary, they are the only government that swept the DAESH terrorists out of the region and whose legitimacy is also recognized by the international community. How can you call them terrorists, and who are you anyway?

- Believe it or not.

This is the extent of the putschists' explanation of themselves. Whether it fit or not, this story could be made to be accepted as a fait accompli by the Libyan people and the whole international community up to now because it was being supported with all their might by the UAE, Russia, France and Egypt. Within the international community and world order, that is, within that structure of 5 which our so-called esteemed President constantly objects to, no one was objecting to this division of spoils that wolves could not do.

Until, that is, Turkey stepped in. Indeed, Turkey from the start did not accept this division, this imposition. It saw this occupation that was being attempted to be brought into Libya by way of a coup, and did not consent. The time came and Turkey said its word. At this point no one has a word to say over Turkey's word.

Pay no attention to those who talk, to what is being said. At this moment no one's word has any force or value. The words spoken by Sisi, acting as the spokesman of the powers behind him, are talked about throughout the Arab world as an example of black humor. Bobby Ghosh, who writes in Bloomberg, answered French President Macron, who had said that "Turkey is playing a dangerous game in Libya," with his article titled "Turkey Has Ruined Macron's Dreams." In reality there is no account Macron can demand of Turkey in Libya; on the contrary, there is an account he owes, to Turkey and above all to the Libyan people and all humanity.

And not only him. Everyone standing behind Haftar today has an account to give. We are postponing for now the question "What business do you have in Libya?" Every one of the war crimes committed by your hatchet man, the putschist Haftar, whom you support and on whom you base the legitimacy of your presence there, is being entered on the record one by one.

In the regions liberated by the Government of National Accord from Haftar there are, for now, 11 mass graves identified. In these mass graves there are clear findings that civilians were killed under torture, that some were buried alive, and that some had their hands tied behind their backs. In addition, booby-trapped mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that prevent civilians from returning to their homes were detected, and these were cleared by GNA forces with Turkey's support, but many civilians were killed and wounded by these IEDs.

According to data from the Libyan Mine and Explosive Remnants of War Research Center, in 57 explosions caused so far by mines and IEDs planted by Haftar's militias, at least 39 people, including women and children, lost their lives and more than 100 people were wounded.

Liam Kelly, Libya Director of the Danish Demining Group, also stated to an AA reporter, "More than 400 thousand civilians have been displaced because of the war, and many of them cannot return to their homes because of mines."

Pointing out that mines and IEDs are located in a wide area covering many neighborhoods south of Tripoli, Kelly reportedly gave the information: "Among them there is a wide variety of explosives, such as anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, rockets, missiles, mortars, air-dropped but unexploded munitions and explosive devices."

This information openly shows, in addition to the presence of Egypt, Russia, France and the UAE in Libya, which they already cannot and will not be able to explain, their complicity in serious war crimes as well.

In an earlier article of ours we had asked this question: Can any of these countries make any promise for the Libyan people or for Libya's security and peace? Let them step forward and present it. But they cannot. The plainly visible truth is that they are trying to devour savagely a country that, because of the political crisis at hand, has a security weakness, by exploiting its weak situation.

This approach alone, however problematic it is, is a clear crime even in terms of today's international relations order.

The new situation that has arisen in Libya is no longer a matter of political negotiation between equal parties; it is the process of the criminal putschists, occupiers and criminals against humanity being seized on Libyan soil and brought before international justice.

Let no one worry: Turkey, which is in Libya at the invitation of the government that is the legitimate representative of the Libyan people, will also be the follower of this case.