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

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 attacker
    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

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.

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 attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Libyan rebel forces, NATO forces

Incident Code

Lib2011-089

Incident date

May 7, 2011

Location

زاوية البقول, Zawiyat Al Baqoul, Yafran, Libya

Geolocation

31.989587, 12.430859 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were allegedly killed by Libyan rebel forces in Zawiyat Al Baqoul.

The UN’s investigation into Libya 2011 later reported the following: “The Commission also received reports of killings of members of other groups perceived to be Qadhafi loyalists, which typically took place in the immediate aftermath of the thuwar gaining control of the area.  The Zintan thuwar, who accuse the Mashashiya community of providing support to the Qadhafi forces during the latter’s siege and shelling of the Nafusa Mountains, have carried out attacks against the entire community including unlawful killings.

“For example, an 82 year-old Mashashiya man from Zawiyat al-Baqoul was shot dead at his home on 7 May 2011, reportedly by thuwar from Zintan.  Regarding another incident, the Commission was informed by two sources interviewed separately that two Mashashiya brothers were shot at point-blank range after capture by Zintan thuwar in front of another brother.  These incidents are examined in greater detail in Annex I, sect. III.F.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Zawiyat Al Baqoul (زاوية البقول), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.989587, 12.430859. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Libyan rebel forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Libyan rebel forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Incident Code

Lib2011-063

Incident date

April 7, 2011

Location

القوارشة, Al Qawarsheh, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.112582, 20.082151 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On April 7th, 2011, the body of an unidentified man was found in the Al Qawarsheh neighborhood of Benghazi, suspected to have been killed by Libyan rebel forces. A UN report cites the death of the man.

The UN report states “the General Prosecution in Benghazi indicating that a body of an unidentified black man found in the Kawarsha outskirts of Benghazi was brought on 7 April 2011 with gunshot wounds to the back of the head.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighborhood of Al Qawarsheh (القوارشة) in the city of Benghazi (بنغازي), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.021389, 20.073056. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the neighborhood of Al Qawarsheh (القوارشة) in the city of Benghazi (بنغازي).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-012

Incident date

February 18, 2011

Location

البيضان, Al Bayda, Al Wahat, Libya

Geolocation

32.759849, 21.752794 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On February 18th, 2011, at least 14 people were killed and dozens were wounded in, as reported by the French Press Agency. Two members of the security forces were also reported hanged.

Wiki news reports “At least 14 people were killed and dozens wounded in the demonstrations. The French Press Agency also reported that the protesters had hanged two security men, and it is considered the first city to be liberated by the rebels.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bayda (البيضاء), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.759849, 21.752794. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]