Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
Libya
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

Lib2011-038

Incident date

March 19, 2019

Location

قاعدة طرابلس وبنغازي ومصراتة وسرت والوطية الجوية, Tripoli, Benghazi, Misurata, Sirte and Al Watyah airbase, Libya

Geolocation

31.155680, 16.555218 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 48 and 64 civilians were killed during the first day of NATO airstrikes in Libya, according to Gaddafi regime media. However, these numbers are heavily contested by non-partisan sources.

Doualia wrote at the time: “Air strikes on several Libyan cities killed 48 people and wounded 150 in ‘civilian areas,’ a statement on Libyan state television said.”

The Telegraph contested these numbers in its own reporting: “Libyan officials said that 64 ‘martyrs”‘ had been hit in the attacks and that the coaltion had targeted military facilities protected by civilians as well as civilian buildings. However claims by one top Gaddafi aide that the hospital and ambulances were filling up were left unsubstantiated.

Security forces reportedly refused to allow journalists access to hospitals or morgues. One woman who had accessed a hospital in Tajoura, a suburb of Tripoli where an anti-aircraft battery was blown up, said nursing staff were preparing beds for wounded but that none had turned up.

Eyewitness said the likelihood of casualties at another target – Mitika airbase in Tripoli – was also low. No ambulance arrived or left the base hours after the hit.”

The Telegraph added: “State television show thousands of human shields congregating at potential targets across the country, including Col Gaddafi’s headquarters in central Tripoli. Tents have been set up around the concrete walls of the heavily defended compounds. Aides continued to bus thousands of loyalists, who were provided with money, food and soft drink, to act as human shields at airports, government buildings and military installations across Libya.”

On this day, NATO strikes were officially reported in Tripoli, Benghazi, Misurata, Sirte and on the Al Watiyah airbase.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    48 – 64
  • Civilians reported injured
    150
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the cities of Tripoli (طرابلس‎), Benghazi (بنغازي‎), Sirte (سرت‎), Misurata (مصراتة), and the Al Watiyah Airbase (الوطية الجوية). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for a middle point between these locations are: 31.155680, 16.555218.

  • Imagery:
    Google Earth

NATO forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    NATO forces
  • NATO forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    48 – 64
  • Civilians reported injured
    150
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-053

Incident date

March 30, 2011

Location

تاجوراء , Tajoura, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.830319, 13.383189 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 40 civilians were killed in Tajoura by a NATO airstrike, according to a senior Vatican official based in Tripoli at the time.

Reuters reported on the incident: “At least 40 civilians have been killed in air strikes by Western forces on Tripoli, the top Vatican official in the Libyan capital said Thursday, citing what he called reliable sources in close contact with residents.”

It further stated: “NATO said it was investigating Martinelli’s report but had no confirmation of civilian casualties in Tripoli.

Martinelli earlier told Catholic news agency Fides that the 40 civilians were killed in Buslim, but he later corrected the district to Tajoura, saying he had confused the names of the two neighbourhoods.

He said his information on the killings came from “people who work with us, who have many contacts with residents, who are on the ground and know the situation very well.”

Al Jazeera tweeted that a residential area in Tripoli was bombed according to Libyan TV. And DP News posted pictures of “Libyan victims” but did not state if they were killed in this particular incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    40
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Images of victims possibly killed in the incident (via DP News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Tajoura (تاجوراء), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.830319, 13.383189. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

NATO forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    NATO forces
  • NATO forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    40
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-115

Incident date

June 22, 2011

Location

زليتن, Zliten, Murqub, Libya

Geolocation

32.334524, 14.530509 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Several civilians were killed by a NATO airstrike near Zliten, according to the Gaddafi regime television.

France 24 said that “Libyan television announced the killing of dozens.”

Al Jazeera wrote: “Libyan television said on Wednesday dozens of people were killed in Zliten in a bombardment by NATO warplanes. However, it was not possible to verify the authenticity of the information independently because the Libyan authorities are preventing the entry of foreign journalists into the town.”

NATO itself reported striking “13 Armed Vehicules, 1 Armoured Personnel Carrier, 1 Rocket Launcher” on June 22 near Zliten without reporting civilian harm.

Throughout the NATO intervention independent monitors reported that the Gaddafi regime hugely inflated or fabricated reports of civilian casualties in Libya.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Zliten (زليتن) city. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Zliten are: 32.334524, 14.530509.

NATO forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    NATO forces
  • NATO forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

NATO forces

In the vicinity of Zlitan: 13 Armed Vehicules , 1 Armoured Personnel Carrier , 1 Rocket Launcher

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12 – 24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-069

Incident date

April 14, 2011

Location

مصراتة, Misurata, Libya

Geolocation

32.374457, 15.087794 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least 16 civilians were reportedly killed in indiscriminate shelling by Gaddafi regime forces on Misurata.

Human Rights Watch reported: “Libyan government forces have launched indiscriminate rocket and mortar attacks on residential neighborhoods in the rebel-held city of Misrata, Human Rights Watch said today. One strike, apparently by a Grad rocket, killed at least eight civilians waiting in line for bread. Another attack, apparently with a mortar round, hit a medical clinic, wounding four others.

At least 16 civilians have been killed in indiscriminate attacks since April 14, 2011, Human Rights Watch said, based on witness and survivor accounts, as well as inspections of the impact sites. Human Rights Watch found no evidence of military activity in the areas that came under attack, and witnesses said rebel fighters were not present in those areas when the attacks took place.”

Al Jazeera also reported on the shelling, showing the bodies of civilians and rocket fragments.

The Telegraph put the number of victims at 23, saying that “most of the dead were reported to be women and children, along with three Egyptian migrant workers waiting to be evacuated.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16 – 23
  • (4–6 children4–6 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other, Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Al Jazeera reporting on the indiscriminate shelling in Misurata

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Misurata (مصراتة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.374457, 15.087794. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16 – 23
  • (4–6 children4–6 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other, Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-044

Incident date

March 20, 2011

Location

سرت‎, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.190547, 16.571441 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A “large number” of civilians was reported killed in NATO airstrikes on Sirte, according to the Gaddafi regime.

Mohamed Abd El Rahman reported on Facebook that “the Libyan regime said that the coalition launched raids on Tripoli and Zuwara and Misurata (west) and Sirte since Saturday and targeted Sirte on Monday, especially the airports, which led to the death of ‘a large number of civilians’.”

Another source only mentioned British airstrikes on Sirte, but made no mention of civilian harm.

According to independent monitors, numbers of civilian casualties reported by the Gaddafi regime were significantly inflated throughout the NATO intervention.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 20
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Sirte (سرت), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.190547, 16.571441. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

NATO forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    NATO forces
  • NATO forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 20
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-028

Incident date

March 4, 2011

Location

الرجمة, Al Rajma, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.071284, 20.342587 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to the Daily Telegraph, 19 civilians were killed after explosions in a munitions depot in Ar Rajma near Benghazi. It is unclear whether the incident was caused by an airstrike by the Gaddafi regime.

The Telegraph wrote at the time: “The cause of the explosions was not immediately clear, although most local residents ruled out an air strike by forces loyal to Libyan leader Col Gaddafi in an intensifying battle with eastern rebels fighting for his ouster.”

It added the following on the number of victims: “Doctor Mustafa Saleh al-Orfali said 17 people had been killed and another hospital official registered 26 wounded. Doctor Idriss Ghazali said two dead had been brought to the Houari hospital and 14 others had been wounded after witnesses reported the explosions at the Al-Rajma military base, southeast of Benghazi.”

In addition, the newspaper noted that “Walid Werfelly, 32, whose family lives in the Al-Rajma area said he saw two women dead at another hospital, after their poorly built homes collapsed from the force of the blast.”

Iyad el-Baghdadi said on Twitter: “Aljazeera now airing first footage from site of explosion. They say it was an air strike.”

The incident occured at 18:30:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    26
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the a base in the village of Al Rajma (الجغبوب), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.071284, 20.342587. 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 status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    26
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-114

Incident date

July 20, 2011

Location

صرمان, Surman, Zawiya, Libya

Geolocation

32.756242, 12.525755 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 13 and 19 civilians were reportedly killed in a NATO airstrike on Surman.

The New York Times published a detailed report of the event: “The Qaddafi government used the strike for propaganda purposes. It claimed as many as 19 civilians were killed and put up portraits of the victims across Tripoli. Khaled offered a slightly different count, saying 13 civilians were killed and six wounded. Among the dead, he said, were his wife, two children and one of his nieces. Local anti-Qaddafi guards, who had no sympathy for the Hamedis, corroborated those deaths and said members of their families had seen the children’s bodies immediately after the attack. The other deaths could not be confirmed, in part because the victims and the family were scattered by the war.”

Human Rights Watch investigated the incident on the ground: “In the early morning of June 20, 2011, NATO air strikes hit the large, walled farm of a former member of Gaddafi’s Revolutionary Council, Maj. Gen. el-Khweldi el-Hamedi, in the town of Sorman 70 kilometers west of Tripoli. The strikes apparently killed eight family members and five staff—in total four men, four women and five children. Family members and staff told Human Rights Watch that el-Khweldi el-Hamedi had retired from military and political life and was not at the farm at the time of the attack. One family member said that NATO had also struck el-Khweldi el-Hamedi’s office in Tripoli, showing Human Rights Watch a photograph of a large damaged building. Human Rights Watch did not inspect that site. NATO strikes also destroyed a post office and an adjacent building next to a large communications tower just outside the farm.The post office and a building next to it, both alongside a large communications tower, were destroyed The post office and a building next to it, both alongside a large communications tower, were destroyed The post office and a building next to it, both alongside a large communications tower, were destroyed.”

It added: “Human Rights Watch visited the el- Hamedi farm on August 11, 2011, under the supervision of a Gaddafi government minder. In three large villas that were hit, Human Rights Watch found no evidence of military activity, although such evidence could have been removed. At one of the destroyed villas, Human Rights Watch found remnants of a munition apparently dropped by NATO, but the type of weapon could not be determined.”

The pro-Gaddafi blog “Libyan Revolutionary Committees Movement” published another detailed report: “Khalid al-Khuwaildi al-Humaidi, President of the International Organization for Peace, Care and Relief (IOPCR), sued NATO for its “crimes” against Libyan civilians. He, alone, lost 13 members of his family because of the bombing, including two of his sons, his pregnant wife, his niece, aunt and a cousin. Members of the same family, including his mother, father, sisters and relatives who were at home were also injured.”

David McKenzie said: “15 people killed in NATO airstrike west of Tripoli before dawn according to hospital staff and our own count.”

The BBC also reported 15 civilian deaths.

Bani Walid said 18 civilians died in the attack.

Al Jazeera put the death toll at 19, quoting a Gaddafi regime spokesperson.

Amnesty International quoted NATO Wing Commander Mike Bracken saying: “In the early hours of Monday morning [20 June] NATO carried out a precision strike using precision-guided weapons on a highly-significant command-and-control node in the Surman area near Zawiya. The facility was directly involved in coordinating systematic attacks on the Libyan people and was identified through rigorous analysis based on persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and this was carried out over a prolonged period of time. NATO is aware of allegations that this strike caused casualties. That is something we cannot independently verify, but I say again, this was a legitimate military target, a high-value, command-and-control node used to coordinate attacks against civilians. We observed the site over a prolonged period of time before conducting the precision strike which minimized any potential risk of causing unnecessary casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

4 years old female killed
3 years old male killed
6 years old female killed
Adult female killed
Age unknown male killed
Adult female killed

Family members (2)

8 years old female killed
0 years old female killed

The victims were named as:

Adult male Guard killed
Adult male Guard killed
Adult female Moroccan, housekeeper killed
Adult female Moroccan, housekeeper killed
Adult male Sudanese, cook killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    13 – 19
  • (5 children4 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–6
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    NATO forces

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (22) [ collapse]

  • Video showing the victims of the strike
  • Another report on the event
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    First part of a documentary about the event
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Second part of the documentary
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Third part of the documentary
  • French report about the incident
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Another report in French
  • A video report in Arabic
  • A video report showing the funeral
  • Another video report in Arabic
  • Pictures of the victims (via Libyan Revolutionary Committees Movement)
  • Pictures of the victims of a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Libyan Revolutionary Committees Movement)
  • Pictures of Khweldi Khaled el-Hamedi, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Al Rassed Al Liby)
  • Pictures of Khweldi Khaled el-Hamedi, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Al Rassed Al Liby)
  • Khalida Khaled el-Hamedi, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Al Rassed Al Liby)
  • Khalida Khaled el-Hamedi, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Al Rassed Al Liby)
  • Khalida Khaled el-Hamedi, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Al Rassed Al Liby)
  • Khalida Khaled el-Hamedi, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Al Rassed Al Liby)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Khalida Khaled el-Hamedi, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Al Rassed Al Liby)
  • Najia Belqasem el-Hamedi, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Alkhaldoon)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Amina and Aimra Essam Jomaa, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Alkhaldoon)
  • Pictures of the victims of a NATO airstrike on Surman on June 20th, 2011 (via Executive Office of the General Association of Prisoners, Detainees, Martyrs and Missing Persons)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the house of Maj. Gen. Al Khweldi Al Hamedi (مجمع الخويلدي الحميدي السكني) being struck, within the neighbourhood of Surman (صرمان‎), the exact location of which has been published by New York Times. The exact coordinates are: 32.756242, 12.525755.

  • Reports of the incident mention the house of Maj. Gen. Al Khweldi Al Hamedi (مجمع الخويلدي الحميدي السكني) being struck, within the neighbourhood of Surman (صرمان‎), the exact location of which has been published by New York Times.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

NATO forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    NATO forces
  • NATO forces position on incident
    Open incident
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Civilian casualty statements

NATO forces
  • Mar 8, 2012
  • The compound included a number of command and control buildings as well as an ammunition storage facility. Between 20 and 30 satellite communication dishes were observed in the compound and on the buildings, along with a lattice tower aerial immediately across the street. The compound was at an isolated location outside Tripoli and was guarded by checkpoints, guards and patrol vehicles forming several rings of security around the facility. Although a school and mosque were located in close proximity to the target, aerial surveillance identified no civilians in the area. The target was struck at night to minimize any possibility of casualties to transient civilians; for similar reasons the ammunition dump and other military objects located on the site were also not struck.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    13 – 19
  • (5 children4 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–6
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    NATO forces

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-097

Incident date

May 24, 2011

Location

باب العزيزية, Bab Al Azizia, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.871451, 13.172594 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and 19 civilians were reported killed and as many as 150 wounded following a NATO airstrike on Tripoli.

Syria Libya wrote: “Tripoli is now exposed to bombardment and confirmed news of the wounded and the killing of civilians and Qatar pays the bill.”

RT showed images of the victims and said: “Tripoli reports three people were killed and dozens injured during twenty minutes of strikes.”

Nahar Net quoted the spokesperson of the Gaddafi regime: “At least three people were killed and 150 wounded in NATO raids on Tripoli overnight, Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said.”

The Washington Post published a similar statement: “Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said NATO had targeted the headquarters of the military reserves, killing at least three and injuring dozens. He said that the casualties would have been higher except that the government had long ago emptied the headquarters, expecting that it would be hit.”

Reuters later published a report saying that the civilian death toll had risen to 19.

Libya History posted a video of the incident saying that one of the strikes targeted a mosque. It shows a hospital worker saying they have received more than 30 cases, three of them killed and that they remained unidentified. One of the injured said the strikes targeted Tariq Al Sour and the buildings surrounding it.

NATO reported hitting “1 Armoured Vehicle Storage Facility” and “1 Missile Storage and Maintenance Facility, 1 Command & Control Node.” in and near Tripoli.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 19
  • Civilians reported injured
    24–150
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Video piece allegedly showing the strikes and victims
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    BBC Arabic video report
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victim allegedly killed by NATO airstrikes on Tripoli on May 24th, 2011 (via Libya First)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Bab Al Azizia (باب العزيزية),  for which the generic coordinates are: 32.871451, 13.172594. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

NATO forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    NATO forces
  • NATO forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

NATO forces

In Tripoli: 1 Armoured Vehicle Storage Facility. In the vicinity of Tripoli: 1 Missile Storage and Maintenance Facility, 1 Command & Control Node.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 19
  • Civilians reported injured
    24–150
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (22) [ collapse]