ROME: Italian police have arrested a Libyan warlord, Ossama Anjiem, known as Ossama al-Masri, in connection with a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Reports from the Italian justice ministry and local news outlets confirm the arrest, which took place on Sunday in Turin after al-Masri attended a Juventus-Milan soccer match the night prior.

Ossama al-Masri heads the Tripoli branch of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, a facility linked to the government-backed Special Defense Force (SDF). This unit has been implicated in serious human rights abuses during the ongoing civil unrest that erupted after the overthrow of longtime Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The SDF, similar to other militias active in western Libya, has been accused of crimes including kidnappings and illegal migration.

The ICC's chief prosecutor has recently issued arrest warrants related to atrocities committed in Libya that extend beyond the civil war, particularly in detention facilities where abuses have been reported by human rights organizations.

Although al-Masri's name did not appear on publicly available ICC warrants, he was apprehended following Italy's consideration of the ICC's request for his arrest. The Italian Justice Ministry issued a statement indicating that they would review the warrant's complexities prior to forwarding it to the chief prosecutor's office in Rome.

Ali Omar, director of Libya Crimes Watch, praised Italy's actions as a "positive initiative" towards accountability for war crimes and abuses against marginalized groups, including migrants. He expressed hope that the arrest would help curb systematic violations in prisons across Libya’s eastern and western regions. Omar emphasized the necessity of transferring al-Masri to the ICC, citing the inability of Libya's judiciary to prosecute war crime suspects effectively.

Conversely, Abdel-Moaz Nouri Abu Arqoub, who leads the RRI center in Ain Zara, characterized the detention as "arbitrary" and called attention to what he described as Italy's "shameful position." The internationally recognized Libyan government has not remarked on the situation.

Since the UN Security Council requested an ICC investigation into Libyan atrocities in 2011, several new arrest warrants have been issued, focusing on crimes committed during the country's protracted conflict. The ICC currently holds 11 outstanding warrants, with seven individuals still at large. New warrants are anticipated to be announced in 2025 concerning further crimes in detention facilities.

Libya remains fragmented, governed by rival administrations in the east and west, each supported by various armed factions and international interests. The situation has fostered lawlessness and violence, particularly in the west where armed groups operate with impunity. Humanitarian organization Mediterranea Saving Humans indicated that al-Masri’s arrest came after numerous complaints and testimonies regarding abuses faced by migrants in Libyan detention centers. They have criticized Italy's financial backing to the Libyan coast guard to curb migration, noting that al-Masri was found residing in Italy, suggesting that traffickers considered the country a safe haven.

Italian journalist Nello Scavo, known for reporting on migrant issues in Libya, shared insights about the ongoing situation through social media and underscored the role of dedicated sources in unveiling this incident.