Mass graves of migrants found in Libya

The bodies of about 50 migrants have been found in a desert area in southeastern Libya, local security officials said.

According to officials, the first mass grave was discovered on Friday at a farm in the city of Kufra, containing 19 bodies. The bodies have been sent for forensic examination.

On Saturday, a second grave was discovered after a raid on a human trafficking center in Kufra. According to the head of the local task force, Muhammad al-Fadeil, the grave may contain at least 30 people. Witnesses said the grave could contain up to 70 bodies. Some reports suggest that some of the migrants were shot alive.

The search is currently ongoing. Officials believe there may be many more similar graves in the region.

Libya is a major transit point for migrants trying to reach Europe from Africa and the Middle East. The country has been in turmoil since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, and clashes between armed groups continue.

Traffickers are exploiting the situation by smuggling migrants through Chad, Niger, Sudan, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia. According to the UN, migrants are subjected to torture, sexual violence and forced labor, and are also used by criminal groups for extortion.

Currently, human rights organizations in Libya and the international community are demanding an investigation into the incident and measures to protect the migrants.