UN warns violence in Libya could lead to prosecution for war crimes

The United Nations' high commissioner for human rights has warned that the fighting between armed groups in Libya that has killed hundreds of civilians could lead to prosecution for war crimes.

The UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein said that there was widespread displacement, deaths of hundreds of civilians and major challenges to daily living for the people of Libya who are trapped in various areas where armed groups have been fighting in the past months, reported News24.

At least 120 000 people have been displaced from their homes and there has been indiscriminate shelling of some civilian areas, said a report from the UN human rights office and the UN Support Mission in Libya.

Since the long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in Libya in 2011, the country has been fractures between two rival governments and various militants groups.