Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
Libya
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure
text search
767 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

LC147

Incident date

May 29, 2019

Location

غريان, Gheryan, Jabal al Gharbi, Libya

Geolocation

32.169687, 13.019377 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Civilians were reportedly killed in Gheryan by a GNA airstrike, according to a single source.

Al Ain News tweeted: “The Libyan Army: Civilian casualties in the bombing of the militias of Misurata on Gharyan and Harouna.”

Other sources only reported GNA airstrikes but no civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Government of National Accord

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Gheryan (غريان), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.169687, 13.019377. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Government of National Accord Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Government of National Accord
  • Government of National Accord position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Government of National Accord

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC017b

Incident date

May 23, 2015

Location

زعفران, Zaafran, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.206944, 16.549167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A father and one or two of his daughters were reported killed as a result of an alleged GNC/Libya Dawn airstrike on Sirte.

Most sources claim that a father with his two daughters were killed in an airstrike on their family home. However, some sources reported that only one of his daughters died and they were in fact in their car.

Tajwara News reported: “The terrorist aeroplane which belongs to Libya Dawn targeted a house in Zaafran residential neighbourhood, killing a father and his daughters.”

Afrigate News posted on Twitter that the “Sirte hospital receives three killed by mistake by Libya Dawn plane in the Zaafran area.”

Rawadfree1 wrote: “Shelling by an aircraft in the Zaafran area of Sirte, shrapnel hitting a car causing its burning, the death of a father and his daughter and another girl wounded.”

Ean Libya published a similar take: “Military aircraft from Libya Dawn hit a car in the Zaafran area, which led to the death of father and daughter.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Massoud Hamali
Adult male via @Libyan_01 killed
Fatima Massoud Hamali
1994 years old female via @Libyan_01 killed
Madiha Massoud Hamali
1996 years old female via @Libyan_01 killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1–2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    General National Congress (GNC)

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Translation: Shelling of an air force in the Zafran area of Sirte, shrapnel hits a car causing its burning, the death of father and daughter and wounding another girl (Source: @rawadfree1)
  • Another picture of the scorched car (via rawadfree1)
  • Translation: Martyr Massoud Hamali. He died with his two daughters by bombing Fajr Libya flight today And news of the death of his third daughter Fatima (Source: @cleobatraa)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: your blood is our blood... RIP my dear (Source: Ibrahim Al-Himal, the victims relative)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Zaafran (زعفران), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.206944, 16.549167. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Zaafran (زعفران).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

General National Congress (GNC) Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    General National Congress (GNC)
  • General National Congress (GNC) position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1–2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    General National Congress (GNC)

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC138

Incident date

May 12, 2019

Location

ناصر, Naser, Zawiya, Libya

Geolocation

32.432880, 12.657010 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three civilians were allegedly killed in an airstrike on Naser. Different sources accused the LNA, UAE or Egypt.

Ibrahim Kasuda said: “The UAE assault plane targets a citizen’s car in the village of Naser in the south of Zawiya, killing all in the car and the supporters of Haftar describe it as an ammunition truck.”

Mona Al-Hur accused the UAE and Egypt of conducting the strike, also saying everyone in the car was killed without giving a number of casualties.

Asstor wrote: “An airstrike carried out by Haftar aircraft targeting small civilian vehicles claiming to carry weapons and ammunition in the area south of the city of Zawiya, killing three people and wounding two which are in serious condition.”

Anis Abdalgawad and Son of Libya Sartawi said the car was in fact an ammunition truck. Tak.yuharq.kl.shy added that one of the victims was Abdulmajid Bin Koura, supposedly an arms dealer with a criminal record.

Libyan citizen later said on Twitter that Ahmad Aldabbashi, an alleged human trafficker and oil smuggler, was killed in the strike as well.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdulmajid Bin Koura
Adult male killed
Ahmad Aldabbashi
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Libyan National Army, Unknown, Egyptian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Pictures of the aftermath
  • Pictures of Abdulmajid Bin Koura, supposedly killed in the event
  • Video of the alleged aftermath
  • Picture of Ahmad Aldabbashi

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Naser (ناصر), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.43288, 12.65701. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Unknown Assessment:

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

Egyptian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Libyan National Army, Unknown, Egyptian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC170

Incident date

July 22, 2019

Location

سوق الجمعة , Souq Al Jumaa, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.881854, 13.256303 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three children were allegedly killed because of indiscriminate shelling on the Souq Al Jumaa neighbourhood of Tripoli.

The Libya Observer initially reported no civilian harm: “At least three mortar shells landed on civilian houses near the international airport of Tripoli, without reports of human casualties so far.”

Hona Souq Al-Khmies Emsihel said three children from the Dahim family had been “severely injured” because of the shelling.

Tk Yahrouq kl shy2 wrote that three children were killed in the Souq Al Jumaa area.

Due to local reports of fighting the shelling could have been conducted by either GNA or LNA.

An Amnesty International investigation later found: “Five children were injured on 22 July 2019, when two rockets landed near where they were playing, along the outer wall of the Dahim family home, south of Mitiga airport. The uncle of three of the children told Amnesty International:

‘Ramadhan, who is two, was injured in the face and hands, his sister Asil, who is 12, sustained internal injuries in the lungs and kidneys and a piece of shrapnel was lodged by the spinal cord; a very dangerous injury. And Rinad, who is 4, was injured in the head. Also two children from two neighbouring families were injured, Hedeya, and Minna, both 12 years old. It was about 8.30 pm and the children were playing by the wall. First one shell landed on the outer side of the wall and the children moved and then another shell landed exactly where the children had been playing only a few minutes before. If they had not moved, they would had been killed.’

Fragments recovered at the scene by Amnesty International investigators confirm that the weapon was a large rocket, most likely a 122mm 9M22U ‘Grad’ rocket.”

The incident occured at 20:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Ramadhan
2 years old male injured
Asil
12 years old female injured
Rinad
4 years old male injured

Family members (2)

Hedeya
12 years old female injured
Minna
12 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, Libyan National Army

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • More pictures of the aftermath

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Souq Al Jumaa (سوق الجمعة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.881854, 13.256303. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Souq Al Jumaa (سوق الجمعة).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Government of National Accord Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Government of National Accord
  • Government of National Accord position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, Libyan National Army

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC084a

Incident date

August 28, 2018

Location

وادي الربيع, Wadi al Rabie, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.709600, 13.382378 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians, a woman and her two sons, were killed as the result of artillery shelling on Wadi al Rabie in Tajoura, according to Human Rights Watch.

The NGO reported: “On August 28, a mortar shell landed on a house in Wadi Al-Rabie, killing a woman and her two sons, aged 6 and 10, according to Ali, who was among the crew recovering the bodies. “The scene is difficult to describe,” he said. “We only found some body parts of the woman, and her two children were badly burned. They all died on the spot.”

Local media reports indicate that GNA-affiliated militias and the 7th Brigade were shelling the area at the time of the incident.

There are currently no other sources available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, 7th Brigade

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Wadi Al Rabie (الطويشة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.709600, 13.382378. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Wadi Al Rabie (الطويشة).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Government of National Accord Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Government of National Accord
  • Government of National Accord position on incident
    Not yet assessed

7th Brigade Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    7th Brigade
  • 7th Brigade position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, 7th Brigade

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC139

Incident date

May 13, 2019

Location

الزاوية‎, Zawiya, Libya

Geolocation

32.759709, 12.732495 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Civilians were reported killed and injured in an LNA airstrike on Zawiya.

Riyadh Burshan said that there were “reports of civilian casualties and injuries” because of “Aerial bombardment of the town of Zawiya” but did not specify how many.

Other sources only reported LNA bombarment and showed pictures of damaged buildings and cars. Most of them said that the Faruq militia was targeted.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Picture of the alleged strike
  • Pictures of the alleged aftermath
  • Video showing the aftermath of the strike

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Zawiya (الزاوية‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.759709, 12.732495. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC029

Incident date

April 23, 2016

Location

القصارات, Al Kassarat, Derna, Libya

Geolocation

32.764181, 22.639990 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including one woman died and up to seven more people were wounded in strikes on Derna, according to local media. The source Alnabaa reported “12 raids”, while some other sources reported that barrel bombs were dropped.

LNA posted a video of its forces dropping a bomb on a ‘terrorist ammunition store’ in the sports city area of Derna. It further reported strikes near the Poppy Farm, the Turkish company hangar, on a gathering of fighters near south of Bab Sheha and a location at the foot of the mountain.

While the official LNA site did not mention civilians casualties, various local sources reported that three people dead and seven others were injured. Ajwa named the location of the incident as Al-Kassarat near the Dhahr al-Hamr area in the South of the city, putting the death toll at three with seven more wounded.

According to Libya Panorama one woman was killed.

The names of the dead were given as Mohammed Musab Shalawi and Masoud al-Ghaithi, a local imam, while the third body couldn’t be identified.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Al Kassarat (القصارات), allegedly located within the city of Derna (درنة‎). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Derna are: 32.764181, 22.639990.

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC162

Incident date

July 9, 2019

Location

وادي تغسات, Wadi Tgessat, Jabal al Gharbi, Libya

Geolocation

32.174159, 12.996826 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians were reportedly injured because of LNA bombing in Gheryan.

Almanara and February TV both reported: “Five civilians lightly injured in the bombing of Haftar militia planes on the Police institute.”

Hona Sog Al-Khmies Emsihel only reported LNA bombing but did not mention civilian harm.

Tarhuna 24 said there were a “number of dead” but did not elaborate if they were civilians or combatants.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Picture of the incident

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the area of Wadi Tgessat (وادي تغسات), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.174159, 12.996826. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the area of Wadi Tgessat (وادي تغسات).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3

Sources (6) [ collapse]