At least 21 migrant bodies have been discovered in a mass grave on a farm near Ajdabiya in eastern Libya, local media reported on Thursday. 

Security forces raided the property after receiving a report that migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were being held there, the sources said. The mass grave was found about ten kilometers southeast of Ajdabiya, roughly 160km from Benghazi. 

The Internal Security Agency in eastern Libya reported told TV channel al-Masar that it had found “a mass grave containing the bodies of 21 people of various African nationalities.” 

One security source, whose name was not disclosed, told Reuters: “We found migrants – men, women and ‍children – bearing signs of torture. They were taken to a hospital where they reported that other migrants had been with them and then disappeared.” 

Security officials arrested the farm owner, who admitted the presence of a mass grave on his property, the sources added. Reuters viewed photos that showed what appeared to be security personnel and Red Crescent volunteers placing bodies in black plastic bags at the site. 

How the migrants died is not yet clear, and an investigation is underway. 

The oil-rich country, a destination for migrants from neighboring African nations, has become a major transit hub for human trafficking and migration to Europe via the Mediterranean since the overthrow and killing of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. 

In February 2025, Libyan authorities and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported two mass graves in southeastern Libya, where the bodies of dozens of migrants were found. Some of the bodies showed signs of gunshot wounds, according to the IOM.

Later in June, the UN Human Rights Office reported that dozens of bodies had been discovered in detention centers in Tripoli and called for an independent investigation. The bodies were found at both official and unofficial sites run by the Stabilization Support Apparatus (SSA), an armed group tasked with supporting government security.

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Russian observers have praised the organization and transparency of Uganda’s general elections, as incumbent President Yoweri Museveni took a commanding lead in early results after Thursday’s vote.

Darya Lantratova, deputy chair of the Russian Federation Council’s social policy committee, was part of an international observer mission invited by Ugandan authorities. She noted that the voting process was conducted systematically and openly.

“We have visited several dozen polling stations and can confirm that we have not recorded a single serious violation that could affect the voting results,” Lantratova said. She highlighted orderly queues, thorough identification checks, and provisions such as photographs on ballots to assist illiterate voters.

The election, which saw voters choose their president and 500 members of parliament, was monitored by more than 1,600 international and regional observers. Delegations included representatives from the African Union, the East African Community, the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and China.

Uganda’s electoral commission announced on Friday that, with results in from 45% of polling stations, President Museveni had secured 76.25% of the vote. His main rival, Bobi Wine, a former pop star and opposition leader, received 19.85%.

Museveni, 81, has led Uganda since 1986 and has positioned himself as a staunch opponent of Western interference in the East African country’s affairs.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, alleged “massive ballot stuffing” and threatened to unleash street protests if the election is “rigged.” His party later claimed he had been placed under house arrest – an allegation police said they were unaware of.

Local police reported isolated incidents of violence, including an attack on a police station in Butambala district, which resulted in fatalities and injuries. No widespread unrest has been confirmed.

Alexander Kurdyumov of Russia’s Central Election Commission praised Ugandan officials for striving to ensure “fair and transparent voting.”

Meanwhile, Russian Senator Ivan Novikov, also part of the observer mission, emphasized that Russian cooperation with Uganda isn’t limited to the election period, noting longstanding trade and economic ties, including exports of wheat, mineral fertilizers, and aircraft parts.

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The EU has been working to boost its defense capabilities in order to become a “military powerhouse,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said, Euractiv has reported, citing sources.

The remarks were reportedly made on Wednesday during a closed-door meeting in the European Parliament, where von der Leyen told lawmakers that the bloc needs to draw up its own security strategy and that the Commission would present such a document in 2026.

“We know that we need to be strong … We are not a military powerhouse, but we are building up to be a military powerhouse,” von der Leyen was quoted as saying.

Across the EU, defense budgets are surging as Brussels has pushed for rearmament under the banner of security. The European Commission’s ‘ReArm Europe’ plan, which von der Leyen mentioned as a step to increase the bloc’s military capabilities, aims to pour hundreds of billions into joint weapons procurement and infrastructure, while member states have boosted arms purchases by nearly 40% in just one year.

Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Western European officials have claimed that Russia could threaten EU states.

Moscow has dismissed such allegations as “nonsense” intended to instill fear and justify higher military outlays, and has condemned what it calls the West’s “reckless militarization.” Russian officials have argued that NATO’s eastward expansion poses an existential threat and remains one of the root causes of the Ukraine conflict, accusing the EU and its allies of preparing for a large-scale confrontation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said EU leaders are inflating the alleged danger to push their own political agendas and funnel cash into the arms industry, and that Moscow has no intention of confronting the bloc militarily.