Various sources reported that Egyptian airstrikes hit two locations in East Derna. One strike hit the Bab Shiha neighbourhood, another one the former headquarters of the Jabal al-Akhdar Industrial Company.
Local and international sources reported that seven civilians were killed, including three or four children and a woman – plus up to 50 members of ISIS.
Human Rights Watch named the victims as:
“[…] a mother, Rabiha al-Mansouri, and three of her four children, Afraa, Zakaria, and Huthaifa al-Karshoufi, who died when a missile hit their home. Others were Osama al-Shteiwi, a student who was watching from the roof of his home, who was hit by shrapnel; Attia Bousheiba al-Shaari, who died after the front of his house collapsed on him; and Hanan Faraj al-Drissi, who was on the roof of her home when a missile struck the street in front.” Human Rights Watch further investigated the case and spoke to family members recounting the incident. It added 17 people were injured in the attack.
After investigating the case, Amnesty International came to the conclusion that Egypt didn’t take the precautions necessary to prevent civilian casualties in the attack.
According to Libya Alkhabar, “Al-Huraish hospital in Derna city received seven dead people, including four children, a woman and two men, in addition to a number of wounded, in the bombing of areas in the city by the Egyptian airforce.
The Egyptian air force targeted the eastern entrance of the city on Monday morning after five of its aircraft launched air strikes on it.
The Egyptian forces said in a televised statement that the bombing targeted camps, stores, training points and the headquarters of the Islamic state organization. The statement added that the operation was a ‘revenge’ on those who published the video that showed the killing of 21 Egyptians slaughtered, and attributed to the Islamic State in Libya.”
Noon Post, who also put the death toll at seven, added that as many as 21 more civilians were wounded in the event. Civilian homes were also reportedly destroyed.
Ean Libya tweeted images of three dead children.
Bawabat Alwasat said that 40-50 “militants” were also killed in the bombings – through the source quoted Libyan air force chief Major General Saqr al-Jaroushi, who claimed that “the houses targeted in the raids on Derna were the headquarters of Daesh – and our forces were the ones who bombed them, not the Egyptian planes”.
The incident occured at approximately 7:00 am local time.
