Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

LC049

Incident date

November 14, 2016

Location

قرضة, Qaradah, Wadi al Shatii, Libya

Geolocation

27.544167, 13.629444 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Village

Airwars assessment

France allegedly conducted airstrikes in Qaradah north of Sabha which killed Al Qaeda leader Abdul Muneim al-Hasnawi, also known as Abu Talha al-Libi and six other members of the organisation.

The mayor of the city, Hassen Matoug, contested the events on Facebook and claimed that up to eight civilians were killed in the attack. He named two of them as Ghaweel and Hamad al-Ghawail and mentioned a Palestinian woman and her son as being killed in the attack as well.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

  • A Palestinian woman female killed
  • The son of the Palestinian woman Adult male killed
  • Ghaweel Age unknown killed
  • Hamad al-Ghawail Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    French Armed Forces

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Mohammed Qureysh shows the aftermath of the airstrike
  • Qaradah municipality gives a statement on the strike
  • France 24 reports on the airstrike
  • An image shows the targeted house which suspected where Abu Talha lives (via Alwasat)
  • Translation: the initial pictures that show the result of the airstrike on the civilian house in Gorda (Source: Libya Al Ahrar TV)

French Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    French Armed Forces
  • French Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    French Armed Forces

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC043

Incident date

October 4, 2016

Location

قنفودة, Ganfouda, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.028594, 20.026959 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Neighbourhood/area

Airwars assessment

Two sources reported that ten civilians were killed as the result of seven LNA airstrikes on Ganfouda.

According to Arabi21, two families were killed, (including three children, their mother and father in one of the families) as well as foreign workers.

Al Jazeera reported that “10 civilians were killed and 32 others, including Arabs and Africans”, were injured in strikes orchestrated by Gen. Haftar. It also noted that “Sources of the Shura Council of Benghazi rebels said that four of its fighters were killed in the bombing while trying to save one of the families that were inside a targeted house,” suggesting a so-called ‘double-tap’ strike.
Green Thought on Facebook said that it was a French-Emirati airstrike and not LNA and posted graphic pictures of the victims.
Aareen Alasood also said it was an Emirati airstrike.

Al Jazeera added that “on Tuesday, six civilians, including three Arab citizens of Egypt and Sudan, were killed and more than 13 others were wounded by indiscriminate mortar fire in the residential district of Sidi Hussein in central Benghazi. Local sources in Benghazi confirmed that the explosion caused extensive damage to civilian buildings and properties.”

Mohammed Bousghama said on Twitter that a field hospital was hit in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 16
  • Civilians reported injured
    45
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    French Armed Forces, United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, Libyan National Army (LNA)

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Ganfouda (قنفودة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.028594, 20.026959. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Ganfouda (قنفودة).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

French Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    French Armed Forces
  • French Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

United Arab Emirates Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    United Arab Emirates Armed Forces
  • United Arab Emirates Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Libyan National Army (LNA) Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 16
  • Civilians reported injured
    45
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    French Armed Forces, United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, Libyan National Army (LNA)

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC039

Incident date

August 12, 2016

Location

بنغازي‎, Ganfouda, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.028594, 20.026959 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Neighbourhood/area

Airwars assessment

Various sources reported that between 20 and 31 civilians were killed and around 30 more injured as a result of airstrikes in Ganfouda. Two targets appear to have been struck – a residential home and a prison.

While some sources claimed the attack was conducted by an unknown foreign drone, others blame the LNA or France.

Radio Dabanga reported that five members of a Sudanese family were killed when an unidentified air force bombed their home during fighting between rival factions in Benghazi. The Sudanese outlet reported that the civilians were being used as human shields. The victims were named as Mohammed Aduma Mohammed (the father), his wife Safaa Mansour, and children Mohammed Aduma Mohammed, Rania Mohammed and Heba Mohammed.

The Saraya Media Center showed images of the victims on its Telegram channel and said they were killed as a result of their home collapsing after a French airstrike.

As the victims were reportedly mostly Sudanese citizens, Ambassador Qaraballah Al-Khader later condemned the use of his country’s citizens as human shields and their subsequent deaths.

Alnabaa identified the perpetrator as “French” and said the bombing was carried out by “foreign aircraft supporting [General] Haftar.”

The Libya Observer, citing the local Shura council, said 15 prisoners were killed and 30 civilians injured when a jail used to house supporters of “former regime followers” was also bombed. The Observer also blamed “foreign aircraft, in support of Khalifa Haftar.” A later report raised the death toll to 22 with 9 missing. Ewan Libya published a list of those prisoners deceased and missing.

According to Mohamed Abd Alwanis posting on Facebook, in addition, two Shura Council fighters were reported killed in the incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

  • Bilal Mohammed Al-Taraki Age unknown
  • Ismail Hamed Al-Rubaie Age unknown
  • Ismail Boujrada Gaddafi Age unknown
  • Abdul Salam Mukhtar Al Ajili Age unknown
  • Zakaria Makhlouf the Turgian Age unknown
  • Lafi Saleh al-Ashebi Age unknown Missing
  • Ali Nasr Grill Age unknown
  • Ahmed Zaghloul Fathallah Age unknown
  • Mohammed Omar Al-Amari Age unknown
  • Abdul Rahman Mohammed Gaddafi Age unknown Missing
  • Ahmed Ali Almagri Age unknown Missing
  • Mahdi Yusuf Mohammed Age unknown
  • Hamed Alturghi Age unknown
  • Mohammed Al-Aqili Age unknown
  • Abdul Latif Ali Al-Darcy Age unknown
  • Adel Salem Nabous Age unknown Missing
  • Mustafa Othman Al-Suway Age unknown
  • Abdulaziz Abdulwahab Al-Hassi Age unknown
  • Khaled Salem Al-Shaeri Age unknown Missing
  • Ibrahim Ali Obeidi Age unknown
  • Khalifa Awad Al-Akouri Age unknown Missing
  • Mohammed Ramadan Al-Nabli Age unknown Missing

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 31
  • (3 women1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Libyan National Army (LNA), French Armed Forces

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Saraya Media Center shows the impact of the airstrikes and interviews residents of Ganfouda

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Saraya Media Center interviews those injured in the airstrike

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A video shows the aftermath of the airstrike (Source:Al-Tanaseh TV)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Saraya Media Center shows the aftermath of the airstrike and speaks with victims
  • Saraya Media Center speaks with children injured in the airstrike

Libyan National Army (LNA) Assessment:

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

French Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    French Armed Forces
  • French Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 31
  • (3 women1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Libyan National Army (LNA), French Armed Forces

Sources (13) [ collapse]