Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

LC427

Incident date

July 18, 2021

Location

مصرف الوحدة في منطقة الليثي, Vicinity of Al Wahda Bank, Al Laithi neighbourhood, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.088701, 20.134394 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The actor Haythem al-Debrash was killed in Benghazi and his brother Muftah was among five other civilians injured by an RPG round, fired by a militiaman said to have been celebrating the wedding nearby of a comrade.

Footage published by local media and dated July 18th showed a militiaman firing an RPG into the air alongside celebratory small arms fire. According to multiple reports, the RPG round then landed outside the al Wahda Bank on al Nahr Road, in al Laithi neighbourhood, killing Mr Debrash.

Benghazi 24 named a second casualty as Muftah al-Darbash, brother of the deceased, who it said had a limb amputated following the event. The Libya Observer reported five people injured in the event.

Libya Witness later reported that two unidentified men were arrested in connection with the incident, while 218 TV News said the public prosecutor’s office had opened a case, noting: “The perpetrator of the crime was arrested, and the Public Prosecution Office began interrogating him and eventually up accusing him of murder. It ordered his pretrial detention pending the case, while investigations into the incident are still ongoing in other aspects, which are being followed up by the Office of the Public Prosecutor.”

The incident occured during the day.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Haythem al-Debrash
Adult male killed
Muftah al-Debrash
Adult male injured

Geolocation notes (3) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Al Wahda bank (مصرف الوحدة) in the Al Laithi neighbourhood (منطقة الليثي) of Benghazi (بنغازي). Analyzing audio-visual material from sources we have narrowed down the location to these exact coordinates: 32.088701, 20.134394.

  • Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Al Wahda bank (مصرف الوحدة) in the Al Laithi neighbourhood (منطقة الليثي) of Benghazi (بنغازي). Analyzing audio-visual material from sources we have narrowed down the location to exact coordinates.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources.

    Imagery:
    February Channel

  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources.

    Imagery:
    Al Tanasuh Channel

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • 'The death of the actor Haitham Al-Darbash after a shell fell on Al-Wahda Bank in Benghazi.'
  • The actor Haitham Al-Darbash, killed on July 18th in a random militia act (via Benghazi 24)
  • 'A continuation of the chaos and the rule of the militias... dead and wounded as a result of the fall of an RPG shell on a bank queue in the city of #Benghazi.'
  • Haythem Debrash, killed by an RPG round in Benghazi on July 18th 2021 (via Libya Observer)
  • Haitham al-Derbash (via Downtown Benghazi)
  • Images from the scene of a random RPG strike in Benghazi which killed one civilian and injured five (via Only Bengazi)
  • Images from the scene of a random RPG strike in Benghazi which killed one civilian and injured five (via Only Bengazi)
  • Images from the scene of a random RPG strike in Benghazi which killed one civilian and injured five (via Only Bengazi)
  • Images from the scene of a random RPG strike in Benghazi which killed one civilian and injured five (via Only Bengazi)
  • 'Today, Sunday, July 18, we monitored the killing of the artist Haitham Derbash and the injury of five others as a result of a shell falling in the Al-Laithi neighborhood of Benghazi. We call on the authorities to open an investigation into the incident and to hold the perpetrators accountable. We also call on the Ministry of the Interior to work to limit the phenomenon of the proliferation of weapons and prevent their use within cities.'
  • 'The artist, Haitham Darbash, died as a result of injuries he sustained as a result of a bombardment near Al Wahda Bank in the Laithi area, in the city of #Benghazi, while a local source told "Bawabat Al-Wasat" on Sunday that "the artist Haitham Derbash transferred his body to the hospital," noting that the artist's brother was wounded and taken to 1200 Hospital in Benghazi.'
  • Haitham al Derbash (via @alwasatnewsly)
  • Haitham Derbash (via 218 TV News)
  • Civilian Muftah Derbash, injured in a random RPG event in Benghazi on July 18th 2021 (via Bengazi 24)

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown

Sources (14) [ collapse]