The National Institution for Human Rights in Libya (NIHRL) has reported the death of five-year-old Walid Al-Sharif Kashim after he was struck by a stray bullet in Al Zawiya, in what it described as another tragic example of the dangers posed by uncontrolled weapons across the country.
According to local sources and eyewitnesses, the child was returning home from school with his father when a stray bullet penetrated their vehicle. The father sustained an injury to his hand, while the child suffered critical head wounds.
He was transported to the Zawiya Medical Center but later died from his injuries.
The Commission stated that the incident reflects a broader and deeply concerning pattern of violence affecting civilians, particularly children. It warned that stray gunfire is no longer an isolated occurrence, but part of a recurring phenomenon driven by the widespread availability of weapons and the absence of effective control mechanisms.
The organization described uncontrolled firearms as a structural threat to public safety, noting that residential areas have increasingly become vulnerable to random shootings.
It emphasized that such incidents represent serious violations of the right to life and child protection standards.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya has repeatedly identified the proliferation of weapons outside state control as a major obstacle to stability and civil peace.
The continued spread of arms has contributed to a security environment in which civilians remain exposed to unpredictable and often fatal risks.
Data from UNICEF indicates that more than half a million children in Libya face direct security threats. Meanwhile, reports from Human Rights Watch show that incidents involving stray bullets have become increasingly frequent, often occurring on a monthly basis.
