Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

Lib2011-090

Incident date

May 10, 2011

Location

العليا للأطفال وسط, High Committee for Children, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.898242, 13.206442 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On May 10th at 2am local time, NATO conducted airstrikes in Tripoli, injuring at least four children, with two seriously injured, according to two sources. Multiple sources confirmed at least three explosions, with one centred on the government building housing the Higher Committee for Children.

Al Jazeera said: “Reuters quoted Libyan officials as saying that four children were injured by flying glass, and two of them were seriously injured. Officials showed foreign journalists damage to a hospital’s glass, saying it was caused by the NATO missile strike.”

Akhbar reported the same casualty toll, citing Reuters as well.

A locally shot video shows a news crew walking through the rubble in the government building housing the Higher Commission for Children. Another shows the ruins of a residential area reported to have been hit by the airstrikes.

Agence France-Presse reported four explosions at 2am local time, followed by two more explosions. At least three explosions were confirmed by CNN. Multiple sources confirmed explosions on a nearby hospital as well.

NATO itself only confirmed airstrikes on “6 Vehicle Storages, 3 Ammunition Storages, 1 Surface-To-Air Missile Launcher, 1 Self-Propelled Anti Aircraft Gun” in the vicinity of Tripoli.

The incident occured at 02:00:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known targets
    Gaddafi forces, Other

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The video shows a news crew walking through the rubble of the building housing the Higher Commission for Children. Libyan authorities have stated that this building was completely destroyed by the airstrikes.
  • The video shows the bombings on what is reported to be residential buildings housing doctors. The Libyan government spokesman at the time, Moussa Ibrahim, told CNN that a hospital had been hit "indirectly".

Geolocation notes (5) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the building of the High Committee for Children ( العليا للأطفال وسط) being struck in central Tripoli (طرابلس). Analyzing audio-visual material from sources we have narrowed down the location to these exact coordinates: 32.898242, 13.206442.

  • Reports of the incident mention the building of the High Committee for Children (العليا للأطفال وسط) being struck in central Tripoli (طرابلس).

  • Close up of exact location with evidence of damage.

  • Tagged satellite imagery according to audio-visual material from sources.

  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources.

  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources.

NATO forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

NATO forces

In the vicinity of Tripoli: 6 Vehicle Storages, 3 Ammunition Storages, 1 Surface-To-Air Missile
Launcher, 1 Self-Propelled Anti Aircraft Gun.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known targets
    Gaddafi forces, Other

Sources (12) [ collapse]