Libya Crimes Watch (LCW) has followed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) announcement regarding the unsealing of the 2020 arrest warrant against Saif Al-Nasr Suleiman Sneidel, a commander of the “Group of 50” special forces unit within the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF). LCW considers this development an essential step towards holding perpetrators accountable and securing justice for victims.
The arrest warrant indicates Sneidel’s alleged involvement in the extrajudicial execution of at least twenty-two (23) individuals, acts of torture, and the desecration of victims’ bodies, including the publication of images of the deceased on social media. These acts are alleged to have occurred while he was serving as a field commander in “Group of 50,” then under the command of Mahmoud Al-Werfalli in the city of Benghazi, between 2016 and 2017.
LCW has previously documented testimonies from numerous victims and survivors indicating that “Group of 50” committed serious violations that may amount to war crimes during the armed conflict in Benghazi. This included torture, enforced disappearance, and extrajudicial killings. LCW has shared these cases with the ICC.
LCW urges the authorities in eastern Libya, including the General Command of the LAAF led by Khalifa Haftar, to fully cooperate with the ICC and immediately surrender Sneidel to face trial in accordance with international standards of justice and in fulfilment of Libya’s international obligations.
LCW also calls on the ICC to continue its investigations into serious violations committed in Libya, particularly in the context of the armed conflict in Benghazi, and to issue further arrest warrants against those responsible. Such actions would strengthen accountability efforts and help break the entrenched cycle of impunity in Libya.
