Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

LC007

Incident date

December 2, 2014

Location

زوارة, Zuwara, An Nuqat al Khams, Libya

Geolocation

32.924798, 12.075283 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and five civilians died and up to 15 more were wounded in an alleged LNA airstrike on a food supply storage depot in Zuwara. Three or four foreign nationals were reportedly included in the death toll.

Fox News provided the most detail on the event, reporting: A Libyan official says airstrikes have hit a foodstuffs warehouse in western Libya, killing four people and injuring 15.

Hafez Moammar, the spokesman for security forces in the Mediterranean city of Zwara, 70 miles (110 kilometres) west of Tripoli, says three of the dead were foreign nationals. He added that a second airstrike hit a chemicals factory.

He said the warplanes were operating under Khalifa Haftar, a former army general who last spring unilaterally led an offensive against Islamist militias in the eastern city of Benghazi. On Oct. 15, Haftar and the elected government joined ranks against Islamist militias. Haftar’s office subsequently said the buildings it struck contained weapons, not food.

According to the Libya Observer, One Libyan truck driver and four African workers were killed in the dignity operation airstrike that hit a food supply warehouse in Zuwara. More than 10 others were also critically injured.

Other sources said that other locations were also struck – though made no mention of civilian harm in these strikes. According to Reuters, a food supply storage area, a fishing port and another unspecified target outside of the city were hit.

RT reported on a strike in a nearby forest, which Libyan air force commander, Brigadier General Saqr al-Jaroushi, referred to as a bombing of a gathering of the Fajr Libyan militias in the Jude Daim forest in Zawya.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Zuwara (زوارة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.924798, 12.075283. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a man being injured following an alleged LNA airstrike in Zwara city (Source: Ean Libya)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    an image shows a man being treated at the medical centre, injured following an alleged LNA airstrike in Zwara city (Source: Ean Libya)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a man, killed following an alleged LNA airstrike in Zwara city (Source: Ean Libya)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a man being injured following an alleged LNA airstrike in Zwara city (Source: Ean Libya)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a man being treated at the medical centre, injured following an alleged LNA airstrike in Zwara city (Source: Ean Libya)
  • Picture of the alleged strike (via Nancy Porsia)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Picture of the aftermath(via Nancy Porsia)
  • Picture of an alleged victim (via Nancy Porsia)
  • Picture of an alleged victim (via Nancy Porsia)
  • Picture of the aftermath (via Libyan™)
  • Picture of the aftermath (via Libyan™)

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army

Sources (12) [ collapse]