International Criminal Court (ICC) issues arrest warrant for a Libyan militia officer in relation to allegations of war crimes
Libyan Militia Officer Saif Suleiman Sneidel Wanted by International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has unsealed an arrest warrant for Saif Suleiman Sneidel, a Libyan militia officer, who is accused of committing war crimes during the Second Libyan Civil War. The alleged crimes took place in Benghazi and its surrounding areas between June 3, 2016, and July 17, 2017.
Sneidel is believed to have served in Group 50, a sub-unit of the Al-Saiqa Brigade, which was led by the late Libyan commander, Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf Al-Werfalli. Prior to his death, Al-Werfalli was the subject of two ICC arrest warrants for eight executions, three of which the prosecution alleges Sneidel took part in.
The ICC's investigation into atrocities in Libya has been ongoing since 2011, following a referral from the United Nations Security Council. The court has confirmed the arrest of another Libyan suspect, El Hishri, but did not mention any connection between him and Sneidel. El Hishri remains in custody in Germany pending legal proceedings.
The arrest warrant for Sneidel was issued on November 10, 2020, but was only publicly unsealed in August 2025 after a decision that granted the prosecution's request to do so. The ICC's deputy prosecutor, Nazhat Shameem Khan, expressed hope that the public release of the warrant would lead to Sneidel's arrest and surrender.
The ICC's prosecutor's office found reasonable grounds to believe that Sneidel participated in three executions where a total of 23 people were murdered. The prosecution alleges that Sneidel had an important leadership role alongside Al-Werfalli in the Al-Saiqa Brigade.
Libya has faced years of instability, militia violence, and fractured government since the overthrow and killing of Gaddafi in 2011 during the Arab Spring uprising. As of the latest reports in August 2025, there is no publicly available information indicating that Sneidel has been arrested or surrendered to the ICC. The arrest warrant remains outstanding.
The ongoing investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into atrocities in general-news areas such as Libya also includes war-and-conflicts-related crimes committed by individuals involved in politics, like Saif Suleiman Sneidel. Sneidel, a wanted Libyan militia officer, is accused of crimes during the Second Libyan Civil War and is believed to have participated alongside the late Libyan commander, Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf Al-Werfalli, in crimes like executions that fall under crime-and-justice category.
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