Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

Lib2011-211

Incident date

March 18–November 1, 2011

Location

منطقة العمارات, Al Amarat, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.20892, 16.58866 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child was allegedly killed and its mother injured by a NATO airstrike on Sirte.

Nour Al Din Al Zaki said: “Siham Mohammed al-Qantari, 24 years. She was hit by shrapnel in the back which caused paralysis and is now under treatment and her child die who was in her lap next to her house in the Al Amarat area.”

There is currently no additional information available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Amarat (منطقة العمارات) allegedly within the city of Sirte (سرت‎). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Sirte are: 31.20892, 16.58866.

NATO forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM028

Incident date

October 28, 2013

Location

Dhaytubako, Middle Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

0.475148, 42.929292 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two people, both reportedly al-Shabaab affiliated, were killed in a US drone strike on a vehicle in Jilib, Middle Juba region, international media reported. As of now, there are no reports about civilian harm.

Senior al Shabaab commander Ibrahim Ali Abdi (aka Anta Anta) was killed in the attack, according to Abu Mohamed, an al Shabaab militant, and Somali Interior Minister Abdikarim Hussein Guled. Ali Abdi was widely described as al Shabaab’s leading bomb maker. He was reportedly responsible for attacks on UN and diplomatic missions, and on a presidential palace in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

An unnamed official said Ali Abdi was “a person of interest we had been tracking”, while another said the US was ‘optimistic‘ he had died in the attack. Interior Minister Guled said Somali security services provided the US with intelligence for the attack. Abu Ali, Abdi’s ‘friend’, also died in the attack, Guled added.

Four witnesses reportedly said two men in a car died, the only reported casualties. Such precision suggested a drone carried out the attack. Anonymous US officials confirmed this, briefing that it was a US Army drone strike. Local resident Hassan Nur reportedly said:

“I heard a big crash and saw a drone disappearing far into the sky, at least two militants died…I witnessed a Suzuki car burning, many al Shabaab men came to the scene. I could see them carry the remains of two corpses. It was a heavy missile that the drone dropped. Many cars were driving ahead of me but the drone targeted this Suzuki.”

The two men were apparently travelling from Jilib, around 120km south of Mogadishu, to Barawe, an al Shabaab stronghold. Barawe was where US Special Forces failed to capture a senior al Shabaab militant in a daring raid more than three weeks earlier. A Somali intelligence source told the Associated Press the men were on their way to mediate a clan dispute.

Al Shabaab announced in March 2014 that it had executed a man they claimed had helped the US launch this strike. Mohamed Abdulle Gelle, 29, was one of three men executed by firing squad for apparently spying for the US and Somali governments.

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM said it had conducted a strike on what it says was “an al-Shabaab named objective”, in the vicinity of Jilib on October 26th 2013 which is a close match for this strike, though two days prior to all other reports. This is therefore being treated as a single event.

The incident occured between 1:30 pm and 2:00 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention that the strike took place on the road between Jilib and Baraawe, near the village Dhaytubako (or Dhey Tubaako), just east of the town Jilib. The coordinates of that area of the road are: 0.475148, 42.929292. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • The village Dhaytubako near the road (marked in yellow) from Jilib towards Baraawe

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

CNN, October 28th, 2013:

"A U.S. military drone strike in southern Somalia killed two suspected Al Shabaab members, two U.S. officials confirm to CNN.
One of those killed was described by one of the officials as Anta, considered a top technical and explosives expert for the al Qaeda-affiliated group.
He was "a person of interest we had been tracking," the official said.
The other individual killed was not identified. However, it was not Mohamed Abdikadir Mohamed, said to be one of the most dangerous Al Shabaab commanders and known as Ikrima."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-051

Incident date

March 28, 2011

Location

مصراتة‎, Misrata, Libya

Geolocation

32.374457, 15.087794 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March 27th 2011, Gaddafi forces reportedly bombed Misurata either with airstrikes or artillery shelling, which resulted in wounded civilians being treated in a hospital, according to a video published by a single local source.

There is currently no further information available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Other, Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Caption translation: "Recording of the wounded civilians in Misrata after Gaddafi forces bombed the city on Monday, March 28, 2011" (via Adel Sunalla)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Misurata (مصراتة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.374457, 15.087794. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Gaddafi Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Gaddafi Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Other, Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM070

Incident date

April 14–15, 2017

Location

Wargaduud and El Adde, Gedo, Somalia

Geolocation

3.016763, 41.909448 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Somali security officials and residents as claiming that over 100 al Shabaab fighters, including 20 commanders, were killed in US air strikes on the morning of April 15th.

The attack was denied by US Africa Command, which said the US military had not conducted the action. In an explicit statement to Xinhua it asserted: “The U.S. military did not conduct any kind of kinetic action in that area during the timeframe referenced. The most recent U.S. strike in Somalia was conducted in January.”

The alleged strikes were reported by Xinhua to have hit al Shabaab hideouts in Wargaduud and El Adde. There was some confusion around the date they hit – the news site said April 15th, but also included a quote from an unnamed security official saying the strikes took place on April 14th at 2am.

The security official said 20 commanders and around 85 other fighters were killed. A resident in El Adde was reported saying that the sound of explosions, believed to be air strikes, was heard shortly after midnight on April 14.

The US Africa Command press release said the US military “did not conduct any kind of kinetic action in that area during the timeframe referenced”.

The most recent US strike in Somalia took place in January 2017, the press release stated. It added that several social media sites and websites had falsely reported the air strikes, naming Xinhua specifically.

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    100–105

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the militants’ hideouts were targeted in the villages El Adde (Ceel Gadde, coordinates: 3.03594, 41.86737) and Wargaduud (Ceel Gaduud, coordinates: 2.995797, 41.950889). Due to limited information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the exact location of the strike. The coordinates for the area between El Adde and Wargaduud are: 3.016763, 41.909448.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    100–105

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-108

Incident date

June 12, 2011

Location

الزنتان, Al Zintan, Jabal al Gharbi, Libya

Geolocation

31.996513, 12.003225 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Nine civilians were allegedly killed by Gaddafi forces artillery shelling of Zintan.

Al Jazeera noted at the time: “On his part, a spokesman for the rebels said on Monday that nine people were killed and more than forty others were wounded on Sunday when forces loyal to Gaddafi bombed the town of Zintan, held by the rebels, in the west of the country.”

17 Feb Revolution wrote: “Libyan opposition spokesman said on Monday that nine people were killed on Sunday when forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi bombed the opposition-held Zintan town with artillery and missiles.

‘Nine were killed because of the bombing… yesterday, and more than 40 others were wounded, the spokesman, Abdul Rahman, told Reuters by phone from Zintan. ‘It was the heaviest bombardment in several weeks.'”

Other sources reported the same death toll.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • 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.
  • Suspected targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other, Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Funeral of victims allegedly killed in the incident

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Zintan (الزنتان) being struck, for which the generic coordinates are: 31.996513, 12.003225. Due to limited information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • 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.
  • Suspected targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other, Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM106

Incident date

November 27, 2017

Location

Hills around Dasaan, Bari, Somalia

Geolocation

11.174141, 49.827153 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On the same day, AFRICOM reported that it had “conducted an airstrike against ISIS, in northeastern Somalia on Nov. 27”. It added that “the strike occurred at approximately 3 p.m. local Somalia time” and made no mention of civilian harm. However, it did claim that the strike had “killed one terrorist”.

Reuters placed the attack near Qandala: “Colonel Ali Abdi, a military officer in an area near the town of Qandala in the semi-autonomous Puntland region, said the strike took place in hills near the town. ‘We heard a huge crash of air strike in the hilly areas of Dasaan remote area behind Qandala town this afternoon'” Abdi told Reuters from Dasaan. ‘After the strike the IS militants ran away from there. We went to the scene and saw pieces of a dead body.’

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM said it had struck what it says were al Shabaab fighters on this date, in the vicinity of Boholle, Somalia.

The incident occured at approximately 3:00 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    ISIS - Somalia
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention that the strike took place in Northeastern Somalia, in the hilly areas of the remote Dasaan area, in the vicinity of the village Boholle (11.16484, 49.81994). The coordinates for Dasaan are: 11.174141, 49.827153. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • The hilly areas around Dasaan and Boholle

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

U.S. Conducts Airstrike in Support of the Federal Government of Somalia

In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against ISIS, in northeastern Somalia on Nov. 27, killing one terrorist.

The strike occurred at approximately 3 p.m. local Somalia time.

U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect U.S. citizens and to disable terrorist threats. This includes partnering with AMISOM and Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) in combined counterterrorism operations and targeting terrorists, their training camps, and their safe havens throughout Somalia and the region.

Our political and security goals in Somalia are the same: a reconstituted Somali state at peace internally and able to address all threats within its territory.


Via FOIA response May 2019:
"11/27/2017 AS fighters IVO Boholle, Somalia. al Shabaab fighters."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    ISIS - Somalia
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-140

Incident date

August 10, 2011

Location

مصراتة, Misrata, Libya

Geolocation

32.374457, 15.087794 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On August 10th, 2011, Gaddafi forces reportedly fired between four to eight rockets at Misurata. A single source claims three had arrived in the hospital during the bombings, and an another source mentions injuries without providing a number. It was unclear how many of those who arrived at the hospital were injured, killed, as well as their combatant status.

An Al Somood Facebook post shows blood being take from an injured man in a hospital, and a brief interview with a doctor, showing two people injured, reportedly due to the Gaddafi strikes.

A misratapost tweet mentions “8 Grad rockets fell on the eastern region of Misurata, believed to have come from Tawergha.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–3

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Misrata (مصراتة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.374457, 15.087794. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Gaddafi Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Gaddafi Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–3

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1851

Incident date

January 21, 2017

Location

دير الزورحي الشيخ ياسين , Al Sheikh Yasin neighbourhood, Deir Ezzor, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.33367, 40.148313 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two named children died and several more civilians were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Deir Ezzor’s Al Sheikh Yasin neighbourhood, according to local media.

Syrian Mirror reported: “Activists  warplanes likely to be Russian struck the neighborhoods of Sheikh Yassin, Jubaila, Rashidiya, Rusafa, Hweika, Al Sinaa, Al Mouathafeen, Doar Al Banorama and Al Maqaber area, killing two children in the Sheikh Yassin neighborhood.”

@HalabTodayTV also blamed Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]