17 November
43 Dead, Many Wounded, as Security Forces Stand by
Militias from Misrata fired assault rifles, machine guns, and heavy weapons at overwhelmingly peaceful protesters in Tripoli on November 15, killing several people. Ensuing clashes between armed groups and militias left 43 people dead and at least 460 wounded. State security forces present at the initial protest apparently failed to protect protesters or to arrest and disarm the militias.
The Libyan government should immediately make good on its promise to disarm the militias and investigate the events, and hold militia members and commanders to account for the attack, Human Rights Watch said. The government also needs to explain why police and military forces failed to intervene as the killings continued.
“Libyan citizens have paid with their lives for the reckless acts of unaccountable militias,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Libya needs security forces who don’t stand by as militias kill unarmed protesters.
See full article here.