The recent visit to Libya by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, Karim Khan, has reignited hope for long-delayed justice for the victims of Al-Kaniyat (Al-Kani) militia that controlled Tarhouna during the 2019-2020 battle for Tripoli, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Sunday.

HRW said members of Al-Kaniyat militia and their affiliates detained, tortured, disappeared, and executed people in at least four detention facilities while they controlled the town of Tarhouna.

"They sided with the Libyan Armed Arab Forces under the command of Khalifa Haftar, in attacking the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA). No one has been brought to trial for the abuses.” HRW added.

"If the Libyan authorities cannot bring a measure of domestic accountability for the horrors against the people of Tarhouna, then the ICC prosecutor should investigate the crimes that fall within the court’s jurisdiction,” said Hanan Salah, associate director at Human Rights Watch, adding that relatives of the hundreds who were arbitrarily detained and tortured, or disappeared and later found in mass graves are still waiting for justice.