Tripoli, Jan 2 (IANS): The Libyan authorities have said that 18 unidentified bodies were discovered in the northern coastal city of Sirte.

The 18 bodies were found in the Sabaa area of Sirte last week and transferred to a hospital in the city, the General Authority for Research and Identification of Missing Persons said in a statement on Sunday.

Samples were collected from the bodies and taken to laboratories for analysis, the statement added.

In October 2022, the Libyan authority announced the discovery of 42 unidentified bodies in mass graves inside a school yard in Sirte, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sirte, located nearly 450 km east of the capital Tripoli, used to be controlled by Islamic State militants before they were defeated and expelled from the city in 2016 by the former UN-backed Government of National Accord.

Libya has been suffering violence and insecurity since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011.