The new warrant for Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf Al‑Werfalli, issued Wednesday, cites "his alleged responsibility for murder as a war crime" in the Libyan conflict, the ICC said in a statement.
Despite an earlier warrant issued in August, Werfalli, a commander of the Benghazi-based al-Saiqa Brigade loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar
...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all..., has remained on the lam.
Now ICC judges have found "reasonable grounds to believe" that Werfalli "allegedly rubbed out 10 persons in front of the Bi’at al-Radwan Mosque in Benghazi" on January 24.
Almost 40 people were killed and scores injured in twin boom-mobileings outside the mosque after evening prayers frequented by jihadist opponents in Libya's second city.
The first warrant accused Werfalli of the cold-blooded executions of at least 33 civilians or injured fighters in seven incidents in 2016 and 2017.
The ICC judges referred to video footage allegedly showing Werfalli personally shooting hooded and bound prisoners, or ordering a firing squad to open fire on them.
In February, Werfalli said in an unconfirmed Facebook video post that he had handed himself in to Haftar, insisting on his innocence, and justifying any executions as "sentences" against jihadist killers.
Libya fell into chaos after the ouster of strongman Moamer Qadaffy in October 2011, with competing authorities in Tripoli
...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn...
and the east vying for power.
Haftar supports an administration based in the east, while the UN-backed unity government based in the capital Tripoli has struggled to assert its authority outside of the west of the country.
ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has repeatedly called for help in arresting Werfalli, as well as Qadaffy's son Seif al-Islam, who is also wanted on charges of war crimes.
A warrant has also been issued for the arrest of former security chief al-Tuhamy Mohammed Khaled, accused of war crimes committed in 2011.