The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday unsealed an arrest warrant for Saif Suleiman Sneidel, a Libyan militia member accused of war crimes. The charges include murder, torture, and “outrages upon personal dignity” allegedly committed between 2016 and 2017 in Benghazi and surrounding areas.
The ICC prosecutor’s office stated there are “reasonable grounds to believe” Sneidel participated in three executions, resulting in 23 deaths. Sneidel’s arrest warrant had been kept sealed since November 2020 to maximize chances of arrest and protect the ongoing investigation.
Following a second application to boost arrest prospects, the ICC made the warrant public to encourage international cooperation and momentum for his capture.
Deputy prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said the Court now seeks support from States, the UN Security Council, and the global community for Sneidel’s arrest and surrender.
Sneidel reportedly served in Group 50, a sub-unit of the Al-Saiqa Brigade led by Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf Al-Werfalli, himself wanted by the ICC for multiple executions.
The prosecution alleges Sneidel was a close associate of Al-Werfalli and held a significant leadership role within the brigade. The ICC has been investigating war crimes in Libya since 2011 after a referral from the United Nations Security Council.
In a related development, German authorities arrested another Libyan suspect, Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, on July 16, 2025, for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
El Hishri remains in custody in Germany, awaiting legal proceedings amid ongoing instability and militia violence in Libya since Gaddafi’s fall in 2011. The fractured nation continues to grapple with the legacy of years of turmoil, a haunting backdrop to the ICC’s pursuit of justice.