Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

Lib2011-100

Incident date

May 30, 2011

Location

زليتن, Zliten, Misrata, Libya

Geolocation

32.466659, 14.566591 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On May 30th, 2011, multiple sources reported NATO airstrikes on Zliten, which were said to have killed 11 people – although their status was unclear.

RT said: “Libyan television announced on Monday, May 30th, that NATO launched air strikes on the town of Zliten on the coastal road linking Tripoli and Misrata, killing 11 people.”

The state-run Libyan News Agency reported “many injured”, but no number was provided and this was not confirmed by any other source.

The airstrikes were reported by France 24 to have been on the Wadi Kaam region of Zliten. It noterd that “The official Libyan News Agency reported that ‘civilian and military sites’ in the Wadi Kaam area in Zliten were subjected to raids on Monday by ‘the colonial Crusader aggression,’ pointing to ‘the fall of 11 martyrs’ and wounding many others.”

NATO itself did not report strikes near Zliten on that day, and some independent monitors after the war said that some claims by Gaddafi regime-affiliated media had been found to be exaggerated or fabricated

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Zliten (زليتن), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.466659, 14.566591. 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
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 11
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–12
  • 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 belligerent
    NATO forces
  • Suspected targets
    Gaddafi forces, Other

Sources (7) [ collapse]

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
    1 – 11
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–12
  • 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 belligerent
    NATO forces
  • Suspected targets
    Gaddafi forces, Other

Sources (7) [ collapse]