Mass grave of 157 bodies unearthed in Libyan town

BIN JAWWAD - The Associated Press

Libyan government officials said March 4 they have unearthed a mass grave with 157 bodies of rebel fighters and civilians in an eastern town that was a major battleground during the country’s 2011 civil war.

It is the largest grave yet to be discovered from the conflict that began as a popular uprising and ended with the capture and killing of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi last October. Nearly five months after the civil war ended, the affects of the war itself are still apparent. The head of the new government-run missing persons office, Omar al-Obeidi, said that 80 of the bodies discovered in Bin Jawwad have been identified. He said they are all from eastern Libya. The youngest was a 17-year-old male.
“This is the biggest (mass grave) so far,” he said. “These are civilians who were protesting in their cities and killed by Gadhafi’s men,” he said referring to armed fighters and residents of eastern cities. Al-Obeidi said most appear to have died from gunshot wounds and rocket strikes starting in March. He said a “Martyrs’ Parade” has been planned for those found in the mass grave.