By Alexandra Sandacz
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
LONDON, United Kingdom – Two Libyans were arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting three British aid workers. The three women were abducted at a checkpoint near the city of Benghazi and held for hours. The British women were finally released on Wednesday.
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This attack is the latest in a series of vicious assaults on aid agencies and diplomatic missions in Benghazi, which is considered a controversial area for most foreigners.
Libyan security officials believe the attacks happened Tuesday morning. A British-Pakistani family – a father with his two daughters – and another man and a woman decided to leave the convoy, which was delayed at the Libyan-Egyptian border. They intended to return to the UK.
The group took a taxi back to Benghazi, but they were stopped at the Sidi Al-Faraj checkpoint. From there, they were kidnapped and taken to a farm in the Sellouk area, which is where it is believed that the three British women were sexually assaulted.
Four Britons managed to escape and located a local police station. Subsequently, the fifth was rescued.
Deputy Prime Minister, Awadh al-Barassi, stated, “It is not clear how many of the three kidnapped women were abused. It has been reported that one was raped. I express my very deep sorrow at what happened. This heinous incident does not under any circumstances reflect the genuine generosity and morality of the Libyan people or the traditions of Arab-Islamic culture, and I demand the authorities to take the necessary action.”
However, Abdul Barghathi, commander of preventative security in the Libyan defense ministry, said the women were sexually assaulted; however, they were not raped. He also stated that it did not appear that the three women badly wounded, and consular staff is attending them from the UK.
He stated, “There was no rape, just touching (sexual assault). Because there is no British consulate here they were handed to the Turkish consulate.”
Four Libyan soldiers, who are understood to be members of the First Infantry Brigade of Libyan regular army, were arrested in connection with the abduction and rape. Another is wanted.
The group is currently safe in the Turkish consul and expected to return to the UK.
For further information, please see:
BBC – Libyans Held for “Sex Attacks’ On Britons in Benghazi – 29 March 2013Br
SkyNews – British Women in Aid Convoy Rapped In Libya – 29 March 2013
The Guardian – Britons in Aid Convoy Kidnapped and Sexually Assaults in Libya – 28 March 2013
Libya Herald – Kidnap and Sexual Assault of Aid Convoy Britons in Benghazi – 28 March 2013