Libya war crime fear as militias clash over capital

Recent clashes between rival Libyan militias for control of the capital Tripoli have displaced more than 18,000 people, the United Nations has said.

The displacement has prompted the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to warn she could investigate and possibly prosecute new offences.

The self-styled Libyan National Army, aligned with a rival government in the east, launched a major military offensive on 5 April to take Tripoli, igniting clashes with rival militias allied with the Unbacked government.

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, who was already investigating crimes in Libya, said she was “deeply concerned” about the escalation of violence and called on military commanders to prevent war crimes.