Authorities in Libya have launched an investigation after 58 unidentified bodies were discovered on Monday inside a hospital in Tripoli previously controlled by a powerful militia whose commander was killed last week.
The Interior Ministry reported that the remains were uncovered in the morgue refrigerator of Abu Salim Accidents Hospital, located in the densely populated Abu Salim district. The discovery followed a formal notification from the hospital’s administration.
Photographs shared by the ministry depicted the bodies—some severely decomposed and others visibly charred—laid out on metal gurneys and beds. Each was marked with a number, and the faces had been obscured. Authorities have begun efforts to identify the deceased.
“To date, 23 of the corpses have undergone examination, and all relevant legal protocols have been followed, including sample collection and data recording,” the ministry stated.
The Abu Salim neighborhood had been a stronghold of the Stabilisation Support Apparatus (SSA), a militia led by Abdulghani Kikli, also known as Ghaniwa. Kikli was killed under unclear circumstances last Monday, an event that triggered the collapse of SSA forces in the area.
Following his death, armed units affiliated with Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah’s internationally recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) swiftly moved to reclaim territory, dismantling the SSA’s grip on the capital. The offensive led to intense urban fighting, marking the most severe clashes in Tripoli in recent years. At least eight civilians were killed, according to the United Nations.
Monday’s grim find was not the first. Over the weekend, officials reported a separate discovery of nine unidentified corpses at Al-Khadra Hospital, another facility previously under SSA control in the same district. Authorities confirmed that the SSA had failed to report the presence of these bodies.
In response to the violence and militia influence, Prime Minister Dbeibah reaffirmed his commitment to dismantling armed groups. On Monday, the GNU released footage of bulldozers tearing down the 77 camp, one of the largest SSA installations. Plans are underway to repurpose the site into a national park.
Libya has struggled with political fragmentation and insecurity since the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi. The country has remained divided since 2014, with rival factions based in the east and west. Although a ceasefire has largely held since 2020, recent events underscore the fragility of peace in the region.