UK sanctions Libyan al-Kaniyat militia and its leaders - statement

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain on Thursday imposed sanctions against Libya's Kaniyat militia, saying those who breached international law in Libya would have to face consequences.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the Kaniyat militia had overseen a five-year reign of terror until 2020, torturing and murdering innocent people.

"The UK has today imposed asset freezes and travel bans on the militia group and its two leaders. We will hold them accountable for these atrocities," Raab said on Twitter.

Last year, the United States unilaterally blacklisted the militia and its leader after Russia prevented a U.N. Security Council committee from imposing sanctions over human rights abuses by the group.

The Kaniyat, headed by members of the al-Kani family, was allied to the Libyan National Army and helped it mount a failed 14-month assault on Tripoli that began in April 2019.

"These new sanctions send a clear message that those responsible for serious human rights violations or breaches of international humanitarian law in Libya will face consequences," said Britain's Middle East minister James Cleverly.

"The persistent climate of impunity in Libya must be addressed and justice provided for the victims."

(Reporting by William James and Michael Holden, editing by Andy Bruce)