UN Envoy to Libya Martin Kobler condemned Wednesday evening the killing of three Libyans and 13 Egyptians in Bani Walid in western Libya, which is contested between several factions in the war-torn country.

“I strongly deplore these terrible killings” he said, “and call on those with authority on the ground in Bani Walid to ensure that the incidents are investigated and to prevent any further killings”.

Earlier reports suggest that the illegal Egyptian migrants were killed in clashes with smuggler gangs.

Libya has sunk into chaos after Muammar Gaddafi was ousted in 2011, with two rival governments and numerous militias vying for power. Recently, the UN has backed the creation of a new unity government, but the administration still has only limited influence outside Tripoli.

Human traffickers have used the power vacuum to run a lucrative trade of smuggling people to Europe. Activists estimate that hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants are currently in Libya.

Source: MENA