Al-agaila (PDF)

The Al-agaila concentration camp in Libya is a shameful reminder of Graziani's service to the Italian people in the Mussolini era. Sixty five thousand people perished in these camps. They were set in waste lands, tents behind barbwires, guarded by armed Italians and ruthless African mercenaries. Half of the people of Cyrenaica's population were marched to these camps under the heat of the sun during the day on hard roads not really fit for walking on, and in the freezing desert weather by night. Some of them had to walk 1,000 kilometres. Others were lucky and marched the distances of 600 kilometres. Graziani was adamant that they reached those places in the time he chose. By his orders, if anybody lagged behind, they were to be shot. His orders were carried out and hundreds died of thirst before reaching the camps of sorrow and death. Graziani had succeeded; these sadistic acts did suffocate Omar Al-Mukhtar the leader of the struggle and his men. Supplies of men and arms from the Green Mountain soon ceased. Weapons being smuggled in from Egypt and volunteers from the desert also dried up. Omar and his men were now forced to eat leaves off the trees and drink the rain that fell. Omar and his men, however, valiantly fought the Italians for another year.