Sunday, August 28, 2011

Human Slaughterhouse Discovered in Tripoli

Rebel forces mopping up the last remnants of Gaddafi regime resistance in Tripoli have discovered a warehouse containing the charred skeletons of scores of prisoners killed and burned as troops fled.

Residents who live nearby the site, near the southern Tripoli headquarters of Libya's most feared military unit, the Khamis Brigade, loyal to Col Gaddafi's youngest son, say they heard the sounds of shooting and explosions on Tuesday evening.

They were unable to leave their homes to investigate while fighting in the area continued, but on Friday night rebel forces captured the base and drove out the remaining fighters. Yesterday morning, residents and rebel forces moved in to discover the still-warm remains of at least 53 people.

Eight bodies, hands bound, had been left decomposing outside the shed. Inside, the remainder had been burned as they lay, the canisters of petrol still lying in the corners among the bodies, which were still warm. Locals told The Sunday Telegraph that up to 150 people were thought to have been killed there.