Libya

Armed Conflict, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes

Main Religion: Islam 

Population: Over 6 million 

Christian Population: 35,100 (0.5%)

Perpetrators: Two rival administrations continue to compete for control in Libya: the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU), headed by Abdelhamid Dabeiba, and a parallel body in eastern Libya, the Government of National Stability (GNS), established by the eastern, Tobruk-based parliament, the House of Representatives (HoR).

Islamic militias continue to commit severe human rights abuses — some affiliated with al-Qaeda, and others tied to the Muslim Brotherhood. Some examples include Libya Dawn, Misratan Militias, Libyan Revolutionaries Operations Room, Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council, Derna Mujahideen Shura Council, the Abu Salim Martyrs Brigade, Madkhali-Salafis, ISIS-Libya (ISIS-L), and Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG).

Victims: Libyans and migrants

Death Toll/Number Displaced: The U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Libya Yacoub El Hillo said in 2020 that the impact of the country’s war on civilians that began in 2011 “is incalculable.”

As of August 2023, there were about 125,802 internally displaced people in Libya, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). As of October 31, 2023, an additional 43,421 remain displaced, including 16,000 children.

Mass Atrocities: Arbitrary detentions, murders, torture, rape, enslavement, sexual slavery, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances.