Libya ‘war crimes’ videos shared on social media

An investigation by BBC Arabic has found evidence of alleged war crimes in Libya being widely shared on Facebook and YouTube.

The BBC found images and videos on social media of the bodies of fighters and civilians being desecrated by fighters from the self-styled Libyan National Army.

The force, led by strongman General Khalifa Haftar, controls a swathe of territory in the east of Libya and is trying to seize the capital, Tripoli.

Under international law the desecration of bodies and posting the images online for propaganda is a war crime.

The Foreign Office says it takes the allegations extremely seriously and is concerned about the impact the recent violence is having on the civilian population.

A BBC Arabic investigation for BBC Newsnight and BBC World Service.

30 April 2019