The Ministry of Culture and Heritage is investigating whether New Zealand soldiers'' graves are among those attacked in a second round of desecration at a Libyan cemetery.

Several grave markers have been taken and one headstone has been damaged in the Commonwealth War Cemetery in the city of Benghazi.

But it was not clear whether the graves of 11 New Zealand soldiers were among those which had been vandalised.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Culture and Heritage said it was in touch with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission see if any New Zealand graves were damaged in the latest attack.

Khaled Al-Jazwi, a spokesman for the Benghazi local council, told Reuters that the attack occurred on Thursday.

"We don't know yet who did this," said Jazwi. "We have spoken to the local council's security committee about investigating who is behind this. This cemetery has been here for decades and nothing like this has ever happened before."

In March, a video uploaded to YouTube shows what it claims to be Wahhabist rebels kicking over the gravestones and using sledgehammers in an attempt to bring down a large cross - apparently in retaliation for the burning of a Koran by American troops in Afghanistan.

A statement from Libya's National Transitional Council at the time strongly condemned the attack and said it "deeply regrets" it. The council pledged to prosecute anyone involved.

The CWGC was in the process of replacing or repairing graves damaged in those earlier attacks.

The war graves commission said there are more than 1200 Commonwealth servicemen buried at the Benghazi War Cemetery and almost 300 at the Benghazi British Military Cemetery.
 
The New Zealand soldiers in the Benghazi War Cemetery are:

Private Hedley James Boult, Flying Officer Hector Hugh Crawford, Flight Sergeant Lorenzo Richard Feasey, Flying Officer William Lynn Kauter, Lance Corporal Arthur Leslie Milne,  Serjeant Maurice Reginald Mutton,  Lieutenant Hector Alexander McAulay,  Flight Sergeant Mitchell Ridland, Aircraftsman 1st Class Thomas Martin Scott, Pilot Officer William George Duncan Thurston, Private Peter Edgar Alfred Vivienne Wardle.

- © Fairfax NZ News