The Associated Press has reported that two Libyan families have lodged their case against Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar, who also holds a US citizenship, to an American court on Friday, in an effort to hold him accountable for atrocities committed in the conflict in Libya.
The Virginia Federal Court heard the two Libyan families’ representatives Muna Al-Suyid and Abdullah Al-Kershiny, who file the lawsuit against Haftar and his sons Khalid and Saddam.
According to the report, Haftar’s lawyers did not appear at the first hearing in Alexandria, Virginia, which dealt mainly with procedural questions, such as determining service and damages.
It added that the judge could soon grant a default judgement, as Haftar and his sons failed to respond to the suit by the deadline.
The Associated Press added, citing the plaintiffs’ lawyers, that Haftar’s connections and properties in suburban Virginia give the federal court jurisdiction to prosecute his offenses.
The families seek up to $85 million in damages from Haftar and his two sons, Khalid and Saddam, who helped lead his 2014 offensive in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, the report adds.
