The National Commission for Human Rights in Libya (NCHRL) has condemned in the strongest terms the lack of action by the local authorities of Al-Khums city toward recovering the bodies of the illegal immigrants that are washing ashore the city’s beaches.

The NCHRL added in a statement on Saturday that Al-Khums municipality and the UN-brokered government’s Local Governing Ministry bear the legal and humanitarian responsibility for the bodies left on the shores of the city, demanding that they should bury the bodies in mass graves designed specially for the illegal immigrants just like other cities in Libya.

It added that its documentation and investigation department confirmed that the immigrants’ bodies have been floating on the city’s shores for weeks sometimes, which could lead to the outbreak of diseases.

The NCHRL also appealed to the international organizations working in the illegal immigration fields to help the local authorities in Al-Khums.

Al-Khums is one of the active spots for immigration waves that see hundreds sailing on rickety boats towards Italy.

Earlier, the spokesman of the Libyan Navy Force, Ayoub Qassim, said 8997 illegal immigrants were rescued in the first half of 2017 and 455 went missing in the same period.

Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said 485 migrants died in the Mediterranean trying to reach Europe via Libya since the start of 2017.