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UN mission urges end to abduction of civilians in Libya

Xinhua, May 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL) on Friday said that armed groups across Libya are responsible for abductions of civilians, including minors, warning of criminal liability for such acts, which are considered by the world body as war crimes.

"The Mission says that those abducted are usually at risk of torture and other ill-treatment, and are frequently denied any contact with their families," Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing here. "Some have died in custody, possibly executed or tortured to death."

"Abductions of civilians are perpetrated against the backdrop of ongoing fighting, deepening political crisis, terrorist attacks, the spread of the so-called Islamic State and other extremist groups, lawlessness and the breakdown of the criminal justice system, leaving victims and families with few avenues for redress, " the UN Mission said.

Calling all hostage-taking, torture and murder cases war crimes, the UN Mission has warned that those responsible for committing, ordering or failing to prevent such crimes when in a position to do so are criminally liable, Haq said.

The Mission underlined the commitment made by parties to the Libyan political dialogue to address the issue of those illegally detained. It also said that a number of prisoner exchanges have taken place in recent months and called on all those with effective control on the ground to refrain from abducting civilians, to immediately release all those held and to ensure the well-being of anyone deprived of their liberty.

The North African country has been plagued by kidnappings and assassinations since the downfall of Muammar Gaddafi's government. The recent fighting between Islamist groups and pro-secular militia have severely aggravated the security situation.

Libya's former prime minister Ali Zeidan and a former deputy prime minister, Abu Shagor, had both been abducted by gunmen, one in 2013, and the other in 2014. They were subsequently released. Endite