Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

Lib2011-141

Incident date

August 20, 2020

Location

سرت‎, Sirte, Surt, Libya

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Five or more civilians were allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Sirte.

Sirte martyrs posted the victims’ names and said: “These heroes were martyred by the NATO bombing in Sirte on 20 Ramadan of the Nakba year corresponding to 08-20-2011.”

Al Gharib Al Ajli wrote: “Meanwhile, 5 NATO missiles collapsed on our house, 5 terrible fire blocks on a house in a residential neighborhood, the house was destroyed and its columns fell and 5 martyrs fell among the best of the young, one of them was the son of my sister, the martyr Badr al-Naji Khalaf Allah.”

The source added: “They are young civilians, among the best young men in the city of Sirte, they were not on the back of a tank, or they were barricading machine guns.”

Surt Son posted a video of the bodies on Youtube titled: “Massacre led to the deaths of dozens of Libyans as a result of aggression of NATO.”

Various condolence pages commemorated the loss of family members in the incident over the years.

NATO reported striking one command and control node in Sirte on that day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Family members (2)

Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

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.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 24
  • (5 men)
  • 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 belligerent
    NATO forces

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Omar Mukhtar Belkacem Al-Mashay, allegedly killed by NATO airstrike on Sirte on August 20th, 2011 (via Ahmad Mohammed)
  • Nuri Ghaith Sharr Al-Tariq Al-Werfalli, allegedly killed by NATO airstrike on Sirte on August 20th, 2011 (via Sirte martyrs)
  • Victims allegedly killed by NATO airstrike on Sirte on August 20th, 2011 (via Sirte martyrs)
  • Omar Mukhtar Belkacem Al-Mashay, allegedly killed by NATO airstrike on Sirte on August 20th, 2011 (via Harkan Arp 77)
  • Omar Mukhtar Belkacem Al-Mashay, allegedly killed by NATO airstrike on Sirte on August 20th, 2011 (via Harkan Arp 77)
  • Abu Bakr Ghaith Hussein al-Gaddafi, allegedly killed by NATO airstrike on Sirte on August 20th, 2011 (via Al Qadaouira martyrs)
  • Nuri Ghaith Sharr Al-Tariq Al-Werfalli, allegedly killed by NATO airstrike on Sirte on August 20th, 2011 (via Warfila Bin Ghazi)
  • Badr Al-Naj Dalhoum Gaddafi, allegedly killed by NATO airstrike on Sirte on August 20th, 2011 (via Al Mou’tasem Billah Alaq)
  • Alleged victim of NATO airstrike on Sirte on August 20th, 2011 (via Sirte martyrs)

NATO forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

NATO forces

In the vicinity of Sirte: 1 Command and Control Node

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 24
  • (5 men)
  • 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 belligerent
    NATO forces

Sources (15) [ collapse]