Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

Lib2011-139

Incident date

August 11, 2011

Location

تاورغاء‎, Tawergha, Misrata, Libya

Geolocation

32.053695, 15.048778 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 24 and 74 civilians, including at least 2 women, in Tawergha were killed by shelling and rockets launched allegedly by the rebels and/or NATO as they advanced into the town after taking control of Misurata. Civilian homes were struck by shells and were killed and injured, eventually resulting in a massive exodus of the population. The shelling took place from August 10-12, 2011.

Mukhtar.altawaragi posted on Facebook that as many as 74 people were killed during the shelling and named Salah Ahmed Gaddafi, Muhammad Al-Hamali Musa, and Abdul Salam Saleh Laban as being killed.

Khal.eltawrghi posted a list of 24 names, including Abdullah Al-Zaidi, Abdulmutallab, Ameryhel Salem, Abdel Halim Suleiman, Muftah Qurallah, Ahmed Mustafa Gaddafi, Colonel Gomaa Mabrouk, Kamal Al-Hamali, Muammar Al-Toumi, Khaled Qurifa and his mother, the old woman Saliba, Saleh Al Shakshak and his family, Haji Ahmed Al Shakshak and his family, the Joubran family, Musa Al-Ajili, Sheikh Mabrouk Elyan, Ahmed Alyan, Alyan Milad, Mahmoud Sweilam, Ashour Salem, the teacher Juma Salihin, Ibn Thabet, the old man Awad and Muftah Harib.

Some homes were completely destroyed from the shelling, especially in the Al-Kosha neighborhood.

A Facebook post by Sabha 17th Feb identified Professor Saleh al-Shakshak and his family, including Abd al-Rahman al-Shakshak, as being killed by the bombing in Tawergha, which is composed of 7-8 people. Tawergha Local Council reported that one of the sons of Saleh al-Shakshak survived the attack.

A Facebook post by Tawrgha and 17th feb revolution identified the Gibran family as being killed inside of their house.

Jumaa Salihin Ali, a teacher, was identified by Why Taghoura as being killed in Tawergha.

Mabrouk Elyan, who is the imam of a mosque in Tawergha, was identified by Tawragha martyrs as being killed.

A video was posted by THE.SON.OF.TAWARGAH showing Kamal Al-Hamali, who was allegedly killed.

Airwars later spoke to one of the relatives of the victims: “‘130 men from Tawergha are missing ever since, and no one knows anything about them. They were taken by the rebels. My brother is one of them,’ Gabriel Farag, who also had to flee Tawergha, told Airwars. ‘These 130 men were arrested just for the mere fact that they are from Tawergha.'”

The incident occured at 11:00:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Family members (1)

killed

Family members (1)

Family members (1)

Family members (1)

The victims were named as:

Adult male a teacher in education killed
Adult male imam of a mosque in Tawergha killed
Adult male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown female killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown male carried his handicapped mother on his shoulders and ran with her killed
Atiqa Hadiri
Age unknown female at Gate 14, who was taken by zeal and fever, carried a Kalashnikov assault rifle defending Tawergha and was martyred killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Tawergha (تاورغاء‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.053695, 15.048778. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    24 – 74
  • (2 women1 man2–74 undetermined)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Libyan rebel forces, NATO forces

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Jumaa Salihin Ali ... a teacher in education, the date of martyrdom 13/8/2011 in Tawergha
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Abdel Halim Suleiman Abu Sadeegh ... was killed while entering Tawergha
  • Mabrouk Elyan, who is the imam of a mosque in Tawergha, was killed.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Sheikh Mabrouk Elyan, who was killed in Tawergha
  • son of the late Salih al-Shakshak that survived the attack on Tawergha on August 11, 2011
  • Images of TAWARGAH on August 11, 2011
  • Images of TAWARGAH on August 11, 2011

Gaddafi Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Gaddafi Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    24 – 74
  • (2 women1 man2–74 undetermined)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Libyan rebel forces, NATO forces