Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

Lib2011-092

Incident date

May 13, 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

Between 11 and 16 civilians were reported killed in a NATO airstrike on Brega.

Both the BBC and the Washington Post said that eleven clerics were killed in the attack, while Reuters noted that “Nine imams were among 11 people killed in a strike on a guest house in the eastern city of Brega on Friday, the government said. The other two were buried elsewhere.”

Libyan State TV was reported to have declared that 16 civilians were killed in the attack. And the Express Tribune added that 50 people were allegedly wounded.

Al Jazeera wrote: “On Friday, a Libyan military source said that 16 people were killed and 30 wounded in the NATO raid on a guesthouse in Buraiqa, when at the time of the raid dozens of clerics came to attend a celebration. On Friday, Libyan state television showed scenes of nine bodies with several injuries.”

Reuters and The Express Tribune additionally quoted NATO officials commenting on the allegation: “Command and control bunker was struck in Brega early this (Friday) morning, as the structure was being used by the Qaddafi regime to coordinate strikes against the Libyan civilian population.

We are aware of allegations of civilian casualties in connection to this strike and although we cannot independently confirm the validity of the claim we regret any loss of life by innocent civilians when they occur.”

The Eg-11 Blog posted the following: “A spokesman for the Libyan revolutionaries, Ahmed Bani, denied, on Friday, that any civilian had been killed due to the bombing by NATO fighter jets in the city of Brega.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 16
  • (9–11 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    50
  • 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 targets
    Gaddafi forces, Other

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Brega (البريقة), for which the generic coordinates are: 30.411123, 19.570076. 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
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Civilian casualty statements

NATO forces
  • Mar 8, 2012

  • The Marsa El Brega Residence and Command Bunker Facility served as the primary C2 facility for forces fielded by the 32d Brigade in and around Brega. It was deliberately targeted and struck on 13 May. During engagement of the target, it was positively identified and four precision-guided munitions were dropped. The strike was highly effective, and decisively degraded command and control in the Brega area. Battle damage assessment indicated no collateral damage. After this strike, an engineer who had been involved in the design and construction of the command bunker facility publicly confirmed that it had been constructed for Col. Gaddafi and had been purpose built for command and control functions.

Original strike reports

NATO forces
Official source

In the vicinity of Brega: 2 Tanks.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 16
  • (9–11 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    50
  • 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 targets
    Gaddafi forces, Other

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-093

Incident date

May 13, 2011

Location

الرويسات, Roiussat, Misurata, Libya

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Eight to ten civilians, including two children, were allegedly killed and several others injured by Gaddafi forces shelling the Rouissat neighbourhood of Misurata.

Ahrar Libya said: “An hour ago: Gaddafi forces bombed the Ruwaisat and Nisour al-Jaw villages in Misurata, destroying 5 homes and killing 8 people, including two children.”

According to Only4Libya, “the bombing killed two other people, bringing the number to 10 martyrs, including two children, and 20 wounded, 5 of whom were in critical condition.”

Media Center 17 posted: “In the middle of the day, before the Friday prayer prayer, Muammar terrorist mercenaries bombed the Ruwaisat area with a number of Grad rockets, resulting in the death of two children and their sister, as the missile fell in their bedroom and also wounding a number of civilians, including a child and her mother from another house.”

An Amnesty International investigation later found: “Just after midday on 13 May a barrage of Grad rockets smashed into several homes in the Ruissat neighbourhood, south-east of the Misratah city centre, killing and maiming several residents. Rudaina and Mohamed, two of Safia ‘Abdallah Shahit’s three young children, were killed.”

Their mother told Amnesty: “I had bathed the children – Malak, aged five, Mohamed, aged three, and baby Rudaina, aged one. I left them in the bedroom and went to prepare lunch for them. Minutes later, I heard an explosion and ran back to the children’s bedroom when a second rocket smashed into the house. I fell to the ground; there was shattered glass everywhere and more explosions. After hearing the fifth explosion further away, I gathered the courage to enter the children’s bedroom and found them buried under the rubble. I was lifting the rubble, when I saw Rudaina lying under her bed: the back of her head was just gone, pieces of her flesh scattered around. She was a baby, she wasn’t even walking yet. What has she done to deserve this?”

Additionally, “Safia’s daughter Malak survived, but her right leg was so severely wounded that it had to be amputated.”

Amnesty added: “Nearby, Hassan Mohamed al-Rouj, a 36-year-old father of three, was killed by shrapnel from a rocket as he was on his way to the local mosque for Friday prayers. Another rocket smashed into the courtyard of the Sassi family home at 12.45pm. Lotfiya Shikshaka-Sassi, a 55-year old mother of six, sustained a large, deep wound to the abdomen and multiple wounds to the legs, and her 30-year-old son Mohamed was injured in the legs and arms.”

The incident occured around midday.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Rudaina Mostafa Shami
1 years old female killed
Mohamed Mostafa Shami
3 years old male killed
Malak Mostafa Shami
5 years old female injured

Family members (2)

Lotfiya Shikshaka-Sassi
55 years old female injured
Mohamed
30 years old male injured

The victims were named as:

Hassan Mohamed al-Rouj
36 years old male killed
Lotfiya Shikshaka-Sassi
55 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 10
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Rubble from house allegedly destroyed by Gaddafi government forces shelling on Misurata on May 13th (via Media Center 17)
  • The video shows a walkthrough of buildings ruined in the shelling and fragments, as well as interviews with a few people on the shelling.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Muhammad and Rudeina Al-Shami, allegedly killed and his Malak, allegedly injured by Gaddafi forces shelling on Misurata on May 13th (via Liberal Generation)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Muhammad and Rudeina Al-Shami, allegedly killed and his Malak, allegedly injured by Gaddafi forces shelling on Misurata on May 13th (via Emad Misurata)

Geolocation notes

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

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
    3 – 10
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-091

Incident date

May 12, 2011

Location

طرابلس‎, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.886602, 13.190912 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six possible civilian fatalities were reported in a NATO airstrike on Tripoli at or near one of Gaddafi’s compounds.

Al Jazeera reported that “A series of explosions rocked early at dawn today in the center of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, in the vicinity of Bab al-Aziziyah, the headquarters of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, after a raid by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).”

Matelo0ove said: “Six people killed and 10 others wounded in air strikes in Libya: In new Libyan developments, a delegation of members of the National Council is visiting.” Other sources published similar accounts. However almost all media only described ‘people’

NATO itself said it had struck ” 2 Surface-To-Air Missile Launchers, 3 Buildings inside a military camp” on that day without admitting to any civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–10
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Tripoli (طرابلس‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.886602, 13.190912. 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 Tripoli: 2 Surface-To-Air Missile Launchers, 3 Buildings inside a military camp.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–10
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-090

Incident date

May 10, 2011

Location

العليا للأطفال وسط, High Committee for Children, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.898242, 13.206442 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On May 10th at 2am local time, NATO conducted airstrikes in Tripoli, injuring at least four children, with two seriously injured, according to two sources. Multiple sources confirmed at least three explosions, with one centred on the government building housing the Higher Committee for Children.

Al Jazeera said: “Reuters quoted Libyan officials as saying that four children were injured by flying glass, and two of them were seriously injured. Officials showed foreign journalists damage to a hospital’s glass, saying it was caused by the NATO missile strike.”

Akhbar reported the same casualty toll, citing Reuters as well.

A locally shot video shows a news crew walking through the rubble in the government building housing the Higher Commission for Children. Another shows the ruins of a residential area reported to have been hit by the airstrikes.

Agence France-Presse reported four explosions at 2am local time, followed by two more explosions. At least three explosions were confirmed by CNN. Multiple sources confirmed explosions on a nearby hospital as well.

NATO itself only confirmed airstrikes on “6 Vehicle Storages, 3 Ammunition Storages, 1 Surface-To-Air Missile Launcher, 1 Self-Propelled Anti Aircraft Gun” in the vicinity of Tripoli.

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 targets
    Gaddafi forces, Other

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The video shows a news crew walking through the rubble of the building housing the Higher Commission for Children. Libyan authorities have stated that this building was completely destroyed by the airstrikes.
  • The video shows the bombings on what is reported to be residential buildings housing doctors. The Libyan government spokesman at the time, Moussa Ibrahim, told CNN that a hospital had been hit "indirectly".

Geolocation notes (5) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the building of the High Committee for Children ( العليا للأطفال وسط) being struck in central Tripoli (طرابلس). Analyzing audio-visual material from sources we have narrowed down the location to these exact coordinates: 32.898242, 13.206442.

  • Reports of the incident mention the building of the High Committee for Children (العليا للأطفال وسط) being struck in central Tripoli (طرابلس).

  • Close up of exact location with evidence of damage.

  • Tagged satellite imagery according to audio-visual material from sources.

  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources.

  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources.

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 Tripoli: 6 Vehicle Storages, 3 Ammunition Storages, 1 Surface-To-Air Missile
Launcher, 1 Self-Propelled Anti Aircraft Gun.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 targets
    Gaddafi forces, Other

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEM015-C

Incident date

May 9, 2011

Location

الميراب, al Mirab, Border Ta'izz/Ibb, Yemen

Geolocation

13.710239, 44.056858 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Ali Alkhadr (14 years old) was injured by shrapnel from an alleged US air-strike on May 9th, 2011 near the village al-Mihrab.

Al-Akhbar reported on the incident stating that the shrapnel tore Alkhadr´s jaw open when he was returning from a family visit in al-Mihrab village. It was reported that Doctors without Borders provided 1 million Yemeni Riyal ($4,660) for reconstructive surgency, for the once studious teenager.

As a result of the attack Ali dropped out of school and his father claimed that he had to hospitalise his son because of a drug overdose, as he believes his son wanted to end his life, after Ali fell into depression. Furthermore the father was quoted as saying: “He refuses to see his classmates because he is disfigured. It’s been eight months and there is nothing I can do to help my son,” said the boy’s father. “He does not want to go to school and one time I hospitalized him because he overdosed on drugs. I believe he wanted to end his life, and it pains me to see that. I don’t know what to do,” he added.

The incident involving Ali was mentioned in an article about US involvement in Yemen, indicating that this incident was carried out by the US.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali Alkhadr
14 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    US Forces

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Mirab or Al Mihrab. Due to limited information available, we were unable to verify the coordinates, as several villages have the same or a similar name. There are three possible villages the reports are referring to. Their coordinates are: 13.73732, 43.72378; 14.04897, 44.13587 or 13.45457, 44.04858. The coordinates for a mid point between these villages are: 13.710239, 44.056858.

  • Imagery:
    © Google 2019

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    US Forces

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-089

Incident date

May 7, 2011

Location

زاوية البقول, Zawiyat Al Baqoul, Yafran, Libya

Geolocation

31.989587, 12.430859 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were allegedly killed by Libyan rebel forces in Zawiyat Al Baqoul.

The UN’s investigation into Libya 2011 later reported the following: “The Commission also received reports of killings of members of other groups perceived to be Qadhafi loyalists, which typically took place in the immediate aftermath of the thuwar gaining control of the area.  The Zintan thuwar, who accuse the Mashashiya community of providing support to the Qadhafi forces during the latter’s siege and shelling of the Nafusa Mountains, have carried out attacks against the entire community including unlawful killings.

“For example, an 82 year-old Mashashiya man from Zawiyat al-Baqoul was shot dead at his home on 7 May 2011, reportedly by thuwar from Zintan.  Regarding another incident, the Commission was informed by two sources interviewed separately that two Mashashiya brothers were shot at point-blank range after capture by Zintan thuwar in front of another brother.  These incidents are examined in greater detail in Annex I, sect. III.F.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

  • UN
    • English
    • English

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Zawiyat Al Baqoul (زاوية البقول), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.989587, 12.430859. 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
    Single source claim
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

  • UN
    • English
    • English

Incident Code

USYEM014-B

Incident date

May 5, 2011

Location

شبوة‎, Shabwa province, Shabwa, Yemen

Geolocation

14.723675, 46.795827 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two to three middle-ranking Al Qaeda affiliates were killed and another was injured due to a US drone strike, originally targeting US-born cleric Anwar al Awlaki in the province of Shabwa in the morning of May 5th, 2011.

In one of the first recorded US attack using remotely piloted drones since 2002, during Yemen’s Arab Spring uprising, an attempt was made to kill US-born cleric Anwar al Awlaki in a coordinated tripartite drone strike. Instead two AQAP-linked brothers died, identified by Yemeni government officials as Abdullah Mubarak and Mosaad Mubarak (or al Harad). Mareb Press added that “there is a third injured person, and no information is available about his health status” while @NatSecCNN tweeted that “US drone struck target in southern #Yemen in last 48 hrs, killing 3 [Al Qaeda] operatives affil’d w/ al Alwaki, US defense official says”.

ABC News featured a special investigation on the attack, stating that on the morning of May 5, ‘the US military dispatched a fearsome array of heavily armed warplanes including Marine Harrier jets, predator drones and a special operations aircraft carrying short range Griffin missiles to follow a pickup truck in which Awlaki was a passenger’. But the US troops were unable to keep missiles locked on Awlaki’s truck. One missile grazed his bumper, then, ‘the Harriers, which were almost out of gas, had to leave. The remaining aircraft tried to keep following Awlaki to take another shot. But then cloud cover got in the way. Awlaki was able to exploit a moment of hesitation while the targeting pods and the surveillance aircraft were refocusing to jump out of his pickup truck and move to another.’ Awlaki later mocked the failed attack in AQAP’s English-language jihadist magazine Inspire, saying ‘It looks as if someone was a bit angry with us this evening.’

The Wall Street Journal offered more detail on the assault, which it said consisted of two elements: According to local residents and the Yemeni security officials, the first failed strike, which included three rockets targeted a pickup truck in which Mr Awlaki and a Saudi national and suspected Al Qaeda member were traveling. It was alleged that the attack took place 20 miles away from the provincial capital of Shebwa.

Two Yemeni Mubarak brothers rushed to the location of the attack and Awlaki switched vehicles with the brothers, leaving the two Yemenis in the pickup truck that had been targeted before. A single drone then hit the pickup truck, killing the Yemenis inside. Mr. Awlaki escaped in the other vehicle along with the Saudi.’ Mr. Awlaki is considered to be at the forefront of threats the US faces by US officials, as Alwatanvoice stated.

The New York times reported that the Yemeni defence ministry described the two men as dangerous and accused them of involvement in bomb attacks. Furthermore it was stated that the two brothers were being pursued by Yemeni security forces seeking to arrest the two men.

Information on who carried out the strikes varies, as Arabnews reports that the Yemeni government claims the two men were killed by Yemeni security forces, contradicting a statement published in the Wall Street Journal that quotes a senior security official claiming that the Yemeni government provided the US authorities with crucial information on Awlakis whereabouts days before the alleged attack.

However Reuters Washington stipulated that a US official told CBS that the US hoped it was Awlaki, but further comments or confirmation were declined by the US Defense Department.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2–3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (37) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports mention that the incident took place outside the village of Jahwa, 20 miles from the Shabwa provincial capital of Ataq. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available, we were unable to locate the village. The coordinates for Shabwa province are: 14.723675, 46.795827.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2–3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (37) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-085

Incident date

May 5, 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 May 2nd 2011, multiple sources reported shelling on Misurata by Gaddafi forces, killing at least six and injuring dozens. It was unclear how many of those harmed were civilians or combatants.

Reuters wrote that about a hundred rockets had been fired into Misurata by Gaddafi forces.

According to Ahrar Libya : “A medical source in the city stated that ‘there are six dead and dozens of wounded,’ but he did not specify the number of civilians or military personnel killed. The port of Misurata, which is the only outlet for the transfer of humanitarian aid and weapons to this city, was subjected to violent bombardment by Gaddafi forces on Sunday, during which two of the rebels were killed, according to eyewitnesses.

“And medical sources reported that Nigerians and Egyptians were seriously injured after they happened to be among hundreds of African refugees in a camp near the port when it was bombed. A medical source said that “there is not enough information yet about the refugees,” expressing his fear that the number of victims will be greater.”

Other sources published similar reports.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–12
  • 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
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–6
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–12

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The video shows a young boy at the Misrata Red Cresent Center in Abad, dated on May 5th, 2011.
  • Civilian or militant allegedly injured by Gaddafi forces shelling on Misurata on May 2nd, 2011 (via Trayes Misurata)

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 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–12
  • 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
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–6
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–12

Sources (9) [ collapse]