CAIRO: An international rights group on Friday published “horrifying” accounts by migrants of exploitation and sexual abuse in Libya, including Christians who were abducted by Daesh and forced into sexual slavery.
In a report titled “Libya is full of cruelty,” Amnesty International collected the testimonies of 90 migrants, including 15 women, interviewed in reception centers in Italy and Sicily after escaping Libya in recent months. The group said that sexual abuse is so widespread that some women take contraceptives before their sea crossing.
“From being abducted, incarcerated underground for months and sexually abused by members of armed groups, to being beaten, exploited or shot at by people smugglers, traffickers or criminal gangs — refugees and migrants have described in harrowing detail the horrors they were forced to endure in Libya,” said Amnesty’s Magdelena Mughrabi.
Amid lawlessness, people smuggling has become a lucrative business and all parties involved, including coast guards, are exhorting migrants for money, Amnesty said. Those who fail to pay are likely to suffer the worst treatment, according to the group.
The migrants and refugees told Amnesty International about people who were killed by smugglers or who died from thirst or starvation. Some were shot or electrocuted and in one case, a disabled migrant was dumped in the desert by people smugglers.
“They had no heart,” said a 20-year-old Eritrean named as Saleh, who entered Libya in October. Women in particular are at risk of rape and sexual exploitation.
A 22-year-old Eritrean woman identified as Ramya told Amnesty that she was raped more than once while in captivity in a remote area near the town of Ajdabiya, in eastern Libya. “When you have a gun pointed at your head, you don’t really have a choice,” she said.
Another woman described how one migrant woman was gang-raped by people smugglers when she failed to pay her smuggling fees.
In one of the most striking incidents, Amnesty cited a 21-year-old Eritrean woman identified as Amal who said she was among a group of 11 Christian women from Eritrea who were abducted by Daesh in July 2015. They were kept in underground detention for nine months, forced to convert to Islam and used as sex slaves.
Shocking abuse of migrants in Libya
Shocking abuse of migrants in Libya
US to deploy more troops to Middle East as Iran operations continue
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine acknowledged that four US service members have been killed so far
WASHINGTON: The US will send additional troops and military assets to the Middle East as operations against Iran continue, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said on Monday.
Speaking at the Pentagon alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Caine stressed that the campaign, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” remains ongoing and will not be concluded quickly.
“This is not a single overnight operation. The military objectives that (US Central Command) CENTCOM and the joint force have been tasked with will take some time to achieve, and, in some cases, will be difficult and gritty work,” Caine said.
He acknowledged that four US service members have been killed so far and cautioned that further casualties are expected as the campaign continues.
“We expect to take additional losses, and as always, we will work to minimize US losses. But as the Secretary (of Defense Hegseth) said, this is major combat operations,” Caine added.
Caine confirmed that more forces are already heading to the region.
“In fact, Admiral Cooper will receive additional forces even today,” he said, referring to Brad Cooper, US CENTCOM chief.
He described the rapid military buildup as evidence of the US Armed Forces’ ability to adjust quickly and project power “at the time and place of our nation’s choosing.”
