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Libyans Executed inside Refugee Camps | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Many migrants have died trying to cross the sea from Libya to Europe [Reuters]


Berlin- German diplomats have warned of the human rights violations, seeing in extreme cases executions, across Libya’s refugee camps.

German daily “Welt am Sonntag” reported on Sunday that the diplomats at the Niger Capital, Niamey, have testified to the cruel human rights abuse inflicted on refugees to the office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and various ministries.

They spoke of “the most serious, systematic human rights violations,” the paper said.

“Executions of migrants who cannot pay, torture, rapes, blackmail and abandonment in the desert are the order of the day there,” the ” Welt am Sonntag” quoted an internal report from the German embassy in Niamey as saying.

The report said that the “concentration-camp-like” conditions in the “private prisons” were documented by credible photos and videos shot with cell phones.

“Eyewitnesses spoke of exactly five executions by shooting every week in one prison – announced in advance and [carried out] on Fridays to make room for new arrivals: in other words, to increase the human ‘throughput’ and thus the profit of the operators,” the “Welt am Sonntag” said.

On the other hand, Libyan marshal Khalifa Haftar leading the national Libyan army on Sunday answered to all anticipation on a meeting bringing both him and the internationally-backed Prime Minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, saying that no preparations were made for holding a meeting anytime soon.

Haftar-led National Army units continue to fiercely fight against terror groups west of the eastern city of Benghazi.

Special forces said that several units thwarted a desperate attempt by terrorists to escape, pointing out that it has not only aborted their mission, but also forced their retreat.

The general leadership of the Libyan national army issued an official statement objecting to what is being circulated on preparations for a Haftar- Sarraj meeting in the Egyptian capital Cairo, or any other place for that matter.

“Rumors are completely untrue and groundless,” a national army official said.

“The army’s leadership is far from being involved with political concerns at the moment– the only present concern is fighting terrorism and extremism, and cleansing the country,” he added.