Graves of British soldiers of the Royal Horse Artillery at the Commonwealth Benghazi War Cemetery. Picture: AP/Manu Brabo. Source: AP
- Commonwealth War Cemetery in Benghazi targeted again
- Headstone damaged, markers removed
- Digger graves among 198 damaged in February
- AAP
- June 16, 2012
- Daily Telegraph
- THERE has been another war graves attack at a cemetery in Libya which contains the remains of Australian soldiers.
- Authorities say a headstone has been damaged and temporary markers removed from some graves at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Benghazi.
- "The nationality of the individual buried beneath the headstone that was damaged is not yet known,'' the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) said today.
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is working to identify the individual and to restore any damage. It will also replace the removed grave markers as soon as possible.
- The department said it was in the process of determining if Australian war graves were affected.
- If any were, they would be "respectfully restored and maintained".
- Australian graves were among 198 damaged at Benghazi cemetery in February.
- At the time, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said she was disgusted by the attack and wanted the perpetrators punished.
- More than 1200 Commonwealth troops who died in the north African desert battles of World War II are buried in the cemetery, in Libya's east.
- There are 55 Australian graves among them, 48 of which are identified and seven unidentified.
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