Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

Lib2011-130

Incident date

July 25, 2011

Location

زليتن, Zliten, Murqub, Libya

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Between seven and eight civilians were reportedly killed in a NATO airstrike on Zliten.

Antiwar wrote: “A NATO airstrike killed seven people in a hospital in Zlitan, western Libya, on Monday, according to locals and government officials. Medical equipment was visible among the twisted wreckage of the building, the Associated Press reports, after being taken on a government tour of the site.” It added that “the dead included three doctors.”

Al Jazeera said: “Libyan officials have accused NATO of killing at least eight people in an air raid on a food warehouse and medical clinic in Zlitan, east of Tripoli.

Foreign journalists taken to the town of Zlitan on Monday were unable to verify if it was a NATO operation.”

CNN later reported on the incident: “Government officials said they were looking for the bodies of three people believed to be buried underneath, and said the bodies of eight people had been pulled out earlier in the day. Journalists did not see any evidence of dead or wounded at the site.”

It also published the NATO perspective on the incident: “Responding to the Libyan government’s claims to journalists that a health clinic and food-storage facility had been hit, NATO had found no evidence to support the allegations, a NATO representative said.”

In its daily operational report NATO said it struck “3 Command and Control Node, 1 Military Armoured Vehicle Storage Facility, 2 Armed Vehicles” without mentioning civilian harm.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a hospital in the vicinity 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.

NATO forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

NATO forces
Official source

In the vicinity of Zlitan: 3 Command and Control Node, 1 Military Armoured Vehicle Storage Facility, 2 Armed Vehicles.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-129

Incident date

July 24, 2011

Location

مصراتة, Misurata, Libya

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

On July 24th, 2011, six rockets were fired on Southern Misurata by Gaddafi forces, resulting in the deaths of two people, one Muhammad Muhammad al-Qunaidi and one unnamed woman. Injuries were also reported, but no numbers were provided.

Bint Misurata posted on Facebook “6 rockets fell this morning on civilian neighborhoods in southern Misrata, killing Muhammad Muhammad Al-Qunaidi and wounding others …”

Multiple sources reported the death of Muhammad Muhammad al-Qunaidi and the unnamed woman, as well as wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Muhammad al-Qunaidi
Adult male

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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 attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

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
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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 attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-128

Incident date

July 22, 2011

Location

مرسى البريقة, Brega, Al Wahat, Libya

Geolocation

30.411123, 19.570076 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six guards at a concrete pipe factory were reportedly killed in a NATO airstrike on Brega. No further details about the guards were provided, although multiple sources mentioned that three missiles struck the facility.

Reuters reported: “Six guards were killed in an air strike on Friday on a pipeline factory just south of the eastern city of Brega, a Libyan official said.

‘This will be a major setback for future projects and a major problem for maintenance,’ Abdul Hakim al-Shuhaidi, director of the state-run Libyan River Company, which runs the country’s giant irrigation project, told reporters in Tripoli.”

BBC News also quoted Abdul Hakim al-Shuhaidi, who stated the bombings “will represent a major setback for future projects”.

A Youtube video and another Facebook post shows the damage of the bombings, including ruins of buildings and broken concrete pipes.

NATO itself reported hitting “1 Military Storage Facility, 4 Armed Vehicles” near Brega on July 22.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (6 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 attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • The video shows the results of the NATO bombing on the Brega factory, which produced concrete pipes, colloquially known as the "Great Man Made River" pipes. Video was dated July 23rd, 2011, and uploaded to the Inomine X Youtube channel.
  • Image shows the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows an empty lot, the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows a destroyed concrete pipe, the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows rubble, the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows the the entrance sign of the Brega concrete pipes factory, bombed by NATO. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows an empty building, the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows the inside of a concrete pipe. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows a truck backhaul and strewn tires, the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a pipeline factory being struck, allegedly in the town of Brega (مرسى البريقة). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Brega are: 30.411123, 19.57007

NATO forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

NATO forces
Official source

In the vicinity of Brega: 1 Military Storage Facility, 4 Armed Vehicles

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (6 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 attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-127

Incident date

July 19, 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 July 19th, 2011, Gaddafi forces fired five Grad missiles on Misurata, reported to have killed one and wounded 20 others. It was unclear whether the casualties were belligerents or civilians.

A Facebook post from Malek Algasier stated “The outcome of today’s clashes in Misurata, one martyr [Muhammad Sa`id Ihmida] and twenty wounded.”

Multiple sources reported the single death, but only the Malek Algasier Facebook post reported a wounded count.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Sa`id Ihmida
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–20
  • 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 attacker
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–20

Sources (4) [ 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.

Libyan rebel forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Libyan rebel forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–20
  • 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 attacker
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–20

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM023-N

Incident date

July 14, 2011

Location

بين زنجبار‎ و شقرة, Between Zinjibar and Shaqra, Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.2476458, 45.530709 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An airstrike on a car targeted Fahd al Qusaa, also known as Quso, an al Qaeda leader and suspect in the USS Cole bombing. It was a US attack, according to the New York Times quoting an AQAP representative. He claimed that Qusaa had left the car minutes earlier and was unharmed.

According to the Long War Journal, Qusaa was being sheltered by the Awlaki tribe, and was allegedly involved in the failed AQAP airline bombing attack over Detroit on Christmas Day, 2009. Yemeni journalist Nasser Arrabyee claimed that the car was travelling between Shakra and Zinjibar in Abyan Province.

This incident was identified by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and has been included in Airwars’ database even though no casualties are mentioned.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle being struck between the village of Shaqra (شقرة) and the city of Zinjibar (زنجبار‎ ). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for this middle point are: 13.2476458, 45.530709.

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Shoqra شُقرة","label-type":"black-white"},"geometry":{"coordinates":[45.698859857198165,13.35732480761884],"type":"Point"}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Zinjibar زنجبار","label-type":"black-white"},"geometry":{"coordinates":[45.38832158502853,13.13520023596864],"type":"Point"}}]}

US Forces Assessment:

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

Yemeni Air Force Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Yemeni Air Force
  • Yemeni Air Force position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM022-C

Incident date

July 14, 2011

Location

مديرية الوضيع, Wadi’a district , Abyan, Yemen

Geolocation

13.713333, 46.011944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Initial reports of a US or Yemeni bombing raid upon a police station in Wadi’a district on July 14, 2011 may have resulted in as many as fifty people killed, with as many as thirty civilians among the deceased. Militants were also killed and injured, though there was huge variation in the numbers reported, which ranged from six to 50 killed and 10 to 12 others injured.

Yusra A @YusraAIA tweeted that warplanes struck a police station in Wadi’a; the location was believed to be a gathering place for militants, with Al Jazeera adding that the militants had taken over the police station. Long War Journal also reported that US airstrikes struck a police station in Yemen, killing six “Islamic militants” during a nighttime raid. @YusraAIA went on to tweet that six armed people were killed, including Mohammed Sufina, a leader of these militant groups. An eyewitness told al Jazeera that the entire police station was demolished and while six dead bodies of gunmen were pulled from the ruins of the police station, the death toll could “climb with ongoing rescue operations”.

Yemeni journalist Nasser Arrabyee claimed that “some 20 Al Qaeda fighters were killed… including leaders Hadi Mohammed Ali and Abu Bilal”. Sahafanet added that eight militants were killed, including “Hadi Mohammad Ali Al-Sa`tari, Al-Tali from Al-Ain, and a person called Al-Hassan from the Mudia and Maslah district. Another is from Marib, whose identity has not been identified, and another is called Al-Kudur from Mudiyah, and three have not yet been identified.” The source added that “the raid injured more than ten others, including a person named Farouk Al-Sout, who was seriously injured, and he was treated at Al-Razi Hospital in Harar.”

Yemeni newspaper Akhbar al Youm reported that fifty “Al Qaeda militants” were killed while CNN reported that Yemeni officials claimed that a single US drone strike had killed fifty militants in Southern Yemen.

“The casualty toll is high because fighters were gathered in that area with family members,” a senior security source in Abyan allegedly told CNN. Witnesses also told the channel that “at least 30 civilians” – “hiding from the attacks” were among the dead. However, according to CNN, “the Yemeni government said that a US drone was not involved in the attack and that its air forces conducted the raid. The Interior Ministry said on its website that nine fighters were killed and dozens were wounded and that the number of deaths was expected to rise.” However, Yemeni officials told the Associated Press that the strike must have been carried out by an American plane “because Yemeni planes aren’t equipped for nighttime strikes”.

The CNN report went on to quote Yousra Bandar, a mother of three, who said: “No one knows who is dying in Abyan. We want to leave the province, but go to where? Leaving the province is a slow death for all of us.”

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 30
  • 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 attackers
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6–50
  • Belligerents reported injured
    10–12

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the police station in Al Wadi’a district in Abyan province. The coordinates for Al Wadi’a district (مديرية الوضيع) are: 13.713333, 46.011944. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to locate the police station.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Yemeni Air Force Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Yemeni Air Force
  • Yemeni Air Force position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 30
  • 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 attackers
    US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6–50
  • Belligerents reported injured
    10–12

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-126

Incident date

July 8, 2011–May 12, 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

Two civilians were killed in a NATO airstrike on Gheryan, accoring to NPR.

The outlet wrote: “About a block away from the gunfire at the demonstration, it was possible to talk with a shopkeeper without having a government minder present. He gave his name as Ismael and said he and his family have heard bombing in the surrounding area for four straight nights.

That tallies with NATO reports, which say airstrikes in the area have targeted military hardware, such as tanks and rocket launchers. But Ismael says the strikes have also killed civilians. He gestures down the road and says you can still see the craters from a NATO airstrike that hit three cars.

‘Two kilometers, you can see too much hole inside the streets. And two men died there. Two men dead,’ he says.

Ismael says the men killed were civilians. He says his mother and father, who suffer from diabetes, have had to be taken to the hospital because of the stress of the bombing, and his children are afraid. He says he’s heard civilian casualty statistics on the pro-Gadhafi state TV channels.”

NATO did not report any strikes near Gheryan on that day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

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

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
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-125

Incident date

July 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 July 10th, 2011, Gaddafi forces fired eight Grad rockets at Misurata, resulting in the death of seven people. It was unclear how many civilian and belligerent deaths were included.

@misratapost tweeted “Today, Sunday 10-07-2011, the number of martyrs in Misurata has reached 7”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 7
  • 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
    0–7

Sources (3) [ collapse]

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
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 7
  • 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
    0–7

Sources (3) [ collapse]