Yarmuk massacre
On August 23, 2011, as part of the Libyan Crisis (2011–present), members of the Khamis Brigade carried out summary executions of hostages in a warehouse near Tripoli, Libya, which was then set on fire. In total, 124 people were killed at the site.
Background information
During the final stages of the Libyan Civil War, which erupted in February 2011, forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi engaged in brutal crackdowns against rebel groups seeking to overthrow his regime. The Khamis Brigade, led by Gaddafis son Khamis, was known for its involvement in violent suppression tactics.The massacre
On August 23, 2011, detainees were held in a warehouse located in the Khalida Ferjan neighborhood in Salahaddin, south of Tripoli, adjacent to the Yarmuk Military Base. The detainees, numbering approximately 153, were almost entirely civilians. These detainees were often beat, electrocuted, starved, and raped. Guards from the Khamis Brigade conducted a roll call of the detainees and subsequently carried out a vicious attack. Survivors recounted guards opening fire from the roof of the warehouse and throwing grenades into the building. Many detainees were shot and killed during the assault. 53 skulls were later found in one location and other corpses were discovered in a nearby shallow grave but there was a deliberate attempt to destroy victims' bodies. There were at least 20 survivors. Videos were taken of the site of the massacre, showing the remains of the bodies which were mostly ashes.Survivors of the massacre provided testimonies of the events. Abdulrahim Ibrahim Bashir, one of the survivors, said he escaped the onslaught by fleeing over a wall while guards were reloading their weapons. He then hid in a nearby house with some other survivors, some of whom were wounded. When they came out after three days of hiding, they noticed the fire, met the rebel brigades, and discovered the site of the incinerator.
Abdulrahim recounted witnessing guards killing wounded detainees and identified one of the perpetrators as a soldier named Ibrahim from Tajura. He also testified to being forced to repeat the Shahada using Gaddafi's name, and to refer to him as god.