Human Rights Watch (HRW) have published an article detailing aspects of their investigation into the discovery of 36 bodies believed to have been executed near al-Abyar, 50 kilometres east of Benghazi. The article contains interviews with local authorities, forensic investigators and includes testimonies from family members of those found deceased at al-Abyar. The authors summarise the statements of family members of six victims in particular:
All said their relative bore one or more gunshot wounds, and that their hands were tied behind their backs, based on information they obtained from family members who identified the bodies at the Benghazi Medical Center, also known as Hospital 1200. Most interviewees did not have access to a medical report. All relatives also said that armed groups from Benghazi prevented families from putting up tents in front of their Benghazi homes to receive guests during the traditional three-day mourning period.The relatives said that all six victims were civilians seized from their homes, in the presence of their families, by armed groups linked with the LNA. None of the armed groups presented an arrest warrant. Human Rights Watch reviewed multiple lists containing a total of 25 names of the men found at al-Abyar, but could not verify which were civilians and which, if any, were fighters affiliated with forces opposing the LNA.
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