Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

LC415

Incident date

June 8, 2020

Location

جارف: قرارة القزاح, Jarif: Qarara Al Qazzah, Surt, Libya

Geolocation

31.131944, 16.271944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven civilians of the same family, including three children and two women, were killed in alleged LNA airstrikes on their home in Qarara Al Qazah in Al Thalatheen/Jarif area in Jarif on June 8th, 2020, according to local sources.

@LibyaCW reported that “the organisation recorded the fall of shells on three houses in Al Thalateen area west of Sirte today, Monday, June 8, killing seven (7) civilians and wounding ten (10) others.”

Libya Observer reported that, according to a GNA source, the family’s house was targeted by a MiG 29 warplane, which Russia provided recently to Haftar militias. The source reported that a day earlier, on Sunday, June 7th 2020, GNA forces had entered the town.

Libya Al Ahrar reported that the Chamber of Insurance and Protection Operations of Sirte and Al Jafra condemned “the terrorist act carried out by the Haftar militia after bombing civilian homes in the Jarif area, by means of a MiG-29 warplane, which killed 7 civilians.” The source reported the names of the seven victims, among which the children Ahmed Salim Al Nabsha Al FerjaniSaleh Salem Al Nabsha Al Ferjani and Salsabil Salem Al Nabsha Al Ferjani, who died alongside their mother.

Libyaakhbar said that The Ministry of Foreign Affairs paid condolences to Salim Al Ferjani, an employee at the Foreign Office in Sirte, after the death of his wife, his three children, and his brother as a result of the brutal bombing of his house in Sirte.

Al Marsad News blamed Turkey for this incident saying “Turkey’s Third Massacre of Civilians in Less than a Week. Eyewitnesses in Sirte confirmed the death of Salih, Ahmed, and Salsabeel Salem Al-Fitouri, all children, and their mother Najat Saleh, and father, Saleh Al-Fitouri. The Turkish intense bombing also claimed the lives of Ali Faraj Ashtaiwi and Ali Faraj Ashtaiwi.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (7)

Adult female mother of the three killed children killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the area of Qarara Al Qazzah (قرارة القزاح), allegedly in the vicinity of Jarif (جارف) city. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Wadi Azkir are: 31.131944, 16.271944.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (3 children2 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–10
  • 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 belligerents
    Libyan National Army, Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    GNA

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Translation: "The organization recorded the fall of shells on three houses in Al Thalateen area west of Sirte today, Monday, June 8, killing seven (7) civilians and wounding ten (10) others. Both parties to the armed conflict should spare civilians military operations and immediately stop targeting residential neighborhoods" (via @LibyanCW).
  • Damage after alleged LNA airstrikes on Al Thalateen area on June 8th, 2020 (via @LibyaCW).
  • The names of the victims in a statement by the Chamber of Insurance and Protection Operations of Sirte and Al Jafra (via Libya Al Ahrar).

Libyan National Army Assessment:

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

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (3 children2 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–10
  • 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 belligerents
    Libyan National Army, Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    GNA

Sources (8) [ collapse]