The Benghazi Shura Council issued a statement on Sunday saying it does not bear the responsibility of the killing of prisoners who died due to an airstrike on their detention center in Ganfouda, Benghazi, by French warplane in coordination with Khalifa Haftar’s forces on August 17.

“Footage of the prisoners were displayed before showing them alive and being treated fairly, and the council released them and was trying to get them out through safe passages, yet heavy airstrikes and clashes hindered doing so.” The statement reads, adding that it feels so sorry for what has become of the prisoners and warning others of taking advantage of their death for whatever ends.

Some pro-Dignity Operation media outlets pointed fingers at Benghazi Shura Council accusing it of executing the prisoners and using them as human shields to gain political and military benefits despite the confession of a surviving prisoner, who managed to escape from Benghazi, on one of the same outlets that they were targeted by Dignity Operation warplanes.