Lagos, Nigeria - Pro-Kadhafi forces and the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) committed widespread crimes under international law during the Libyan conflict, Amnesty International (AI) said in a new report. In the 107-page report, entitled 'The Battle for Libya: Killings, Disappearances and Torture', AI said it found evidence that during the conflict, Kadhafi forces committed war crimes and abuses which may amount to crimes against humanity, including indiscriminate attacks, mass killing of prisoners, torture, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary arrests.

It said in the report, released Tuesday, that the organization also documented a brutal 'settling of scores' by some anti-Kadhafi forces when Kadhafi forces were ejected from eastern Libya, including lynchings of Kadhafi soldiers after capture.

AI said when Al-Bayda, Benghazi, Derna, Misratah and other cities first fell under the control of the NTC in February, anti-Kadhafi forces carried out house raids, killings and other violent attacks against suspected mercenaries, either sub-Saharan Africans or black Libyans.

It said foreigners from African countries continue to be particularly at risk, and that between a third and a half of all those in detention centres in Tripoli and al-Zawiya are foreign nationals.

AI said it believes most of detained Africans are migrant workers and not fighters, as claimed by the NTC rebels.

The group called on the NTC, which is now in charge of most of Libya, to get a grip on armed anti-Kadhafi groups to stop reprisal attacks and arbitrary arrests

“The new authorities must make a complete break with the abuses of the past four decades and set new standards by putting human rights at the centre of their agenda” said Claudio Cordone, Senior Director at AI.

“The onus now is on the NTC to do things differently, end abuses and initiate the human rights reforms that are urgently needed,' he added.

Pana 15/09/2011