Sirte bodies buried in mass grave, Libya vows probe.
- 13 years ago
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A mass grave in Sirte, the hometown of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Now citizens load body bags onto a bulldozer ahead of a burial.
On Monday New York-based Human Rights Watch urged Libya's new leaders to probe an "apparent mass execution" of 53 people at a Sirte Hotel. The rights groups said it found apparent Gaddafi loyalists dead with their hands bound.
SOUNDBITE: Unidentified citizen of Sirte, saying (Arabic):
"There are 300 bodies here, we found them in more than one place. Most of them are residents of Sirte, some are from the Mahari hotel who we found with their hands tied and shot in the head (pointing to forehead), most of them were wounded."
In Tripoli National Transitional Council Military spokesman Ahmen Bani responded to questions about alleged executions of pro-Gaddafi prisoners.
SOUNDBITE: National Transitional Council Military spokesman Ahmen Bani, saying (Arabic):
"I assure you that we will not turn a blind eye or forgive any crime that might have been committed during this conflict."
Another mass grave in Misrata.
It is called the invaders cemetary...the final resting place for those who locals say were mercenaries and Gaddafi loyalists.
The cemetery lies on the Misrata coastal road and day after day, more visitors are coming in sometimes with their children to view rows of graves that they say belong to people who tried to kill them and destroy their will.
The cemetery was built early in the conflict in May and the bodies of the Gaddafi militants have been buried there since.
Residents continue to make coffins for the site.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters
A mass grave in Sirte, the hometown of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Now citizens load body bags onto a bulldozer ahead of a burial.
On Monday New York-based Human Rights Watch urged Libya's new leaders to probe an "apparent mass execution" of 53 people at a Sirte Hotel. The rights groups said it found apparent Gaddafi loyalists dead with their hands bound.
SOUNDBITE: Unidentified citizen of Sirte, saying (Arabic):
"There are 300 bodies here, we found them in more than one place. Most of them are residents of Sirte, some are from the Mahari hotel who we found with their hands tied and shot in the head (pointing to forehead), most of them were wounded."
In Tripoli National Transitional Council Military spokesman Ahmen Bani responded to questions about alleged executions of pro-Gaddafi prisoners.
SOUNDBITE: National Transitional Council Military spokesman Ahmen Bani, saying (Arabic):
"I assure you that we will not turn a blind eye or forgive any crime that might have been committed during this conflict."
Another mass grave in Misrata.
It is called the invaders cemetary...the final resting place for those who locals say were mercenaries and Gaddafi loyalists.
The cemetery lies on the Misrata coastal road and day after day, more visitors are coming in sometimes with their children to view rows of graves that they say belong to people who tried to kill them and destroy their will.
The cemetery was built early in the conflict in May and the bodies of the Gaddafi militants have been buried there since.
Residents continue to make coffins for the site.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters