A body of a young man was found on the beach of the city of Zawiya in western Libya, with torture marks, according to Sky News Arabia.
A political analyst told Sky News Arabia that the crime is among other murders and kidnappings aimed at terrorizing the people. This is to silence them after their uprising against the deteriorating security situation in their city due to the spread of militias and mercenaries.
Unidentified persons kidnapped Ahmed Al-Arabi Al-Khadrawi, on Saturday, from his workplace, a few meters away from the government headquarters and the Security Directorate in the city, and then took him to an unknown destination.
His family and relatives blocked the coastal road at the eastern gate of the city in protest against his kidnapping before notables and dignitaries intervened to persuade them to end their protest.
On Sunday morning, Al-Khadrawi’s body was found at the beach, bearing signs of torture. Local sources said that his family and friends returned to protest again after their deceased was found murdered and tortured.
Notably, Libyan security forces were deployed in Al-Zawiya after clashes left three people dead including two civilians, according to local media reports on Sunday.
“We have deployed on the instructions of the supreme military authorities to the combat zones, and succeeded thanks to mediation efforts by tribal leaders and city elders to halt the fighting,” General Akram Douwa said in a press interview.
Rival factions in Al-Zawiya, west of the capital Tripoli, have been fighting on and off for weeks.
Local medics reported two civilians and one militiaman were killed in clashes overnight into Friday, adding that another two civilians were wounded.
Following one violent bout in Al-Zawiya in April, residents who have been caught in the crossfire took to the streets to protest.
The North African country, which is awash with weapons, has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Moammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations, each backed by rogue militias and foreign governments.
Safety in Libya’s capital, Tripoli is continuously deteriorating, with threats of kidnapping and murder a daily occurrence for residents.
Over the years, kidnappings, arrests, and assassinations have increased substantially in western Libya. This is evident in the repeated statements of the Ministry of Interior, about the arrest of gangs and individuals involved in the kidnapping and extortion of expatriate workers.