Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
Libya
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

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

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

LC201a

Incident date

September 19, 2019

Location

مرزق, Murzuq, Libya

Geolocation

25.919023, 13.923895 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The US conducted a rare action against militant targets in Libya in September 2019, striking what it later said was “a terrorist facilitation and meeting location consisting of ISIS-Libya terrorist leadership and militants.”

In April 2020, US Africa Command reported that no civilians were harmed in this action near Murzuq on September 19th, 2019 – which appears to have been confused in some public reporting with a nearby problem LNA/ UAE strike on the same date (see LC201.).

A day after the original airstrike, AFRICOM had released a statement, asserting that “at this time, an airstrike that killed eight (8) terrorists is being assessed. At present, we estimate that no civilians were injured or injured as a result of this airstrike.” The statement also read that the strike was conducted in coordination with the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord.

On April 28th 2020, in its first quarterly civilian casualty report, US Africa Command then reported that “AFRICOM received one allegation from an online media source claiming an unspecified number of civilians were killed as a result of a U.S. airstrike in the vicinity of Murzuq, Libya, on September 19, 2019.”

The report continued: “After review, the allegation was assessed to be unsubstantiated. On September 19, 2019 a kinetic strike was executed against a compound which U.S. intelligence confirmed was a terrorist facilitation and meeting location consisting of ISIS-Libya terrorist leadership and militants. Significant and multiple sources of intelligence was compiled to clearly identify the nature of the target. It is assessed that civilian casualties did not occur as a result of U.S. military action.”

At the time of the action, 218TV reported that 10 militants had been killed. According to Al Marsad, “a senior intelligence source told the Observatory, preferring to remain anonymous, that one of those killed was the terrorist Ali Al Tabawi”, also known as Abu Hamza Al Tabawi or Ali Al Dernawi. Le Revolution Tchadieen wrote on Facebook that militant Moussa Hajj Azrak also died in the airstrikes.

Airwars has not so far identified any public sources alleging civilian harm in this incident. The source AFRICOM may have confused the incident with alleged LNA/UAE airstrikes on Murzuq on that same day (LC201) in which, according to our records, up to four civilians were killed.

Murzuq News had reported that in total, four air raids were monitored on Murzuq on September 19th, 2019.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    ISIS - Libya
  • Belligerents reported killed
    8–10

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • AFRICOM statement on U.S. airstrikes near Murzuq on September 19th, 2019 (via Al Marsad).
  • Footage of confirmed U.S. airstrikes targeted ISIS militants near Murzuq on September 19th, 2019 (via @MMAlwrfly).
  • Translation of tweet: "One of the pages of a Chadian opposition mourns one of their leaders who died yesterday during an American raid on them in the city of Murzuq and he knows that the terrorist militia government the reconciliation government said about them that they are their forces south protection forces and they are originally mercenaries from Chad and terrorists from ISIS." (via @hmGZBUaOxvGAH4x ).
  • Militant Moussa Hajj Azrak was allegedly killed in U.S. airstrikes near Murzaq on September 19th, 2020 (via Le revolution tchadieen).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Murzuq (مرزق), for which the generic coordinates are: 25.919023, 13.923895. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US 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
  • Stated location
    vicinity of Murzuq
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US Forces
  • Apr 27, 2020
  • September 23, 2019, AFRICOM received one allegation from an online media source claiming an unspecified number of civilians were killed as a result of a U.S. airstrike in the vicinity of Murzuq, Libya, on September 19, 201 After review, the allegation was assessed to be unsubstantiated. On September 19, 2019 a kinetic strike was executed against a compound which U.S. intelligence confirmed was a terrorist facilitation and meeting location consisting of ISIS-Libya terrorist leadership and militants. Significant and multiple sources of intelligence was compiled to clearly identify the nature of the target. It is assessed that civilian casualties did not occur as a result of U.S. military action.

Original strike reports

US Forces

"9. September 23, 2019, AFRICOM received one allegation from an online media source claiming an unspecified number of civilians were killed as a result of a U.S. airstrike in the vicinity of Murzuq, Libya, on September 19, 2019. After review, the allegation was assessed to be unsubstantiated. On September 19, 2019 a kinetic strike was executed against a compound which U.S. intelligence confirmed was a terrorist facilitation and meeting location consisting of ISIS-Libya terrorist leadership and militants. Significant and multiple sources of intelligence was compiled to clearly identify the nature of the target. It is assessed that civilian casualties did not occur as a result of U.S. military action."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Discounted
    Those killed were combatants, or other parties most likely responsible.
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    ISIS - Libya
  • Belligerents reported killed
    8–10

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC112

Incident date

April 12, 2019

Location

قصر بن غشير, Qasr Bin Gashir, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.688716, 13.173889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Othman Mesbah Akak was reportedly killed by indiscriminate artillery shelling on Qasr Bin Gashir.

Riyadh Burshan said that the died from a shell falling on his house.

Local reporting points at the GNA or the LNA as the perpetrator of the shelling.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Othman Mesbah Akak
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Qasr Bin Gashir (قصر بن غشير), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.688716, 13.173889. 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

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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC435

Incident date

May 28, 2023

Location

الماية, Al Maya, Al Zawiya, Libya

Airwars assessment

As many as seven civilians were injured by alleged airstrikes carried out by the Government of National Unity on a port in Al Maya the evening of May 28, 2023. Between two and five members of the Coast Guard/Stability Support Agency were also killed in the airstrikes.

A tweet from @rgowans reported that with the use of Turkish drones, the GNU conducted airstrike against the Libyan Coast Security base and port in Al Maya, resulting in destruction to 10 marine vessels and the death of five Coast Security officers, as well as an “unspecified” number injured. @wady_dynar provided the casualty toll that two young men were killed and seven others were wounded.

AFP identified at least two people killed and several others wounded in the port of Al Maya. MP Ali Abu Zariba posted on Facebook that “My nephew Mohamad Abu Zariba was hit in the raid on al-Maya” in addition to photos that circulated showing his nephew wounded in the hospital. Al Zawiya Al Hadath 24 added in a Facebook post that Mohamad is also the nephew of the Minister of Interior Issam Abu Zariba. Al Wasat News also named “Muhammad al-Fitouri” and “Abd al-Azim al-Hattab” from the Abu Surra region as being injured in the bombing.

A Facebook post from Tarhouna 24 named “Muhammad Al-Shteiwi” and “Sami Al-Qadiri,” two young men, as being killed in the airstrikes. @ObservatoryLY identified Muhammad as the “commander of the headquarters of the Stability Support Agency, al-Gharbia branch – al-Hashan” and Sami as “one of the members of the “55th Infantry Battalion” led by Muammar al-Dhawi.”

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad al-Fitouri
Age unknown injured
Abd al-Azim al-Hattab
Age unknown injured
Muhammad Adnan Abu Zariba
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    None known
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–7
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    Government of National Accord
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2–5

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (16) [ collapse]

  • Smoke from alleged GNU airstrikes on Al Maya port on May 28, 2023. (Image posted by @Lyobserver)
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Al Zawiya Al Hadath 24
  • "Muhammad Al-Shteiwi" and "Sami Al-Qadiri," two young men identified as members of the tability Support Agency killed by alleged GNU airstrikes on Al Maya port on May 28, 2023. (Image posted by Tarhouna 24 via Facebook)
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Tarhouna 24
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Mohamad Abu Zariba, nephew of MP Ali Abu Zariba who was injured by alleged GNU airstrikes on Al Maya port on May 28, 2023. (Image posted by Tarhouna 24 via Facebook)
  • Video: The moment a Turkish drone bombed the Maya port
  • Effects of air strikes on an armed boat used for human trafficking in the port of Maya.
  • Smoke from alleged GNU airstrikes on Al Maya port on May 28, 2023. (Image posted by @libyapress2010)
  • Smoke from alleged GNU airstrikes on Al Maya port on May 28, 2023. (Image posted by @libyapress2010)
  • Smoke from alleged GNU airstrikes on Al Maya port on May 28, 2023. (Image posted by @libyapress2010)
  • Footage of the port of Maya after the bombing by the drone
  • Smoke from alleged GNU airstrikes on Al Maya port on May 28, 2023. (Image posted by @abaadnews_ly)
  • Smoke from alleged GNU airstrikes on Al Maya port on May 28, 2023. (Image posted by @abaadnews_ly)

Government of National Accord Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    None known
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–7
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    Government of National Accord
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2–5

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC132

Incident date

April 29, 2019

Location

السواني, Al Swani, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.712224, 13.07224 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child was allegedly injured, likely because of indiscriminate artillery shelling on Al Swani.

218 TV reported: “The field medicine and support center announced that its medical team had treated a child injured as a result of armed clashes in the suburbs of Tripoli on Monday.

The center also announced in its Facebook page that its evacuation team had managed to provide a safe passage for a number of families from the Khallet al-Furjan area under the impact of the clashes.”

Local reports of fighting in the area point at the GNA or LNA as the perpetrator.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Picture of the alleged victim (via 218 TV)
  • Another picture of the alleged victim (via 218 TV)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Swani (السواني), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.712224, 13.07224. 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

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-135

Incident date

August 5, 2011

Location

مسكن مصطفى ناجي المرابط, Mustafa Naji Al Morabit, Murqub, Libya

Geolocation

32.472842, 14.489344 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children and their mother were allegedly killed in a NATO airstrike on Zliten.

The Telegraph said: “Residents from the town said the strike happened just after 6am, killing brothers Mohammed, three, and Moataz, five, and their mother Ibtisam.

Moussa Ibrahim, Libyan government spokesman, accused Nato of bombing civilian targets frequently.

He said: In the city of Zlitan, you saw with your own eyes the dead bodies of small children and their mother, there are many other examples around the country.

‘Unfortunately we are only able to take you to some scenes of these crimes, these take place everyday, sometimes whole families are killed, sometimes individuals.’

The Ministry of Defence said it had carried out air strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday against buildings, staging posts and a tank being used by Gaddafi forces near Zlitan.”

NDTV reported on a possibly related strike in the area without mentioning civilian harm: “A senior Libyan government official has denied rebel reports that Moammar Gaddafi’s youngest son was killed in a NATO airstrike on the western town of Zlitan.

Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim says Khamis Gaddafi is alive and spoke to Libyan government officials to confirm his well-being.”

An Amnesty International report later found: “On 4 August 2011 at about 6.30am the home of Mustafa Naji al-Morabit, in Zlitan west of Misratah, was struck, killing his 37-year-old wife, Ibtisam, and two of his three children, three-year-old Mo’taz and six-year-old Mohammed, as well as injuring his 60-year-old mother, Fatima ‘Omar Mansur. According to information provided by Mustafa Naji al-Morabit to Amnesty International, a nearby house (approximately 50 metersaway) had been used, until 1 August 2011, for meetings by military officers. Because they feared that the nearby house may be attacked by NATO, Mustafa Naji al-Morabit and his family had not been sleeping in their own home. They remained in the house during the day as it was common belief that NATO strikes were carried out at night. As opposition fighters were closing in on the area, the owner of the nearby house and others who had been meeting there fled by 2 August 2011, leaving the front gate wide open – a sign that they were not going to return. The al-Morabit family decided that it was therefore safe to return to their home and slept in their home for the first time on the night between 2 and 3 August 2011. The night passed without incident and the nearby house remained abandoned and the al-Morabit family again slept in their home the following night (between 3 and 4 August 2011), but the house was struck in the early hours of that morning.”

The NGO added: “In its 15 February 2012 letter to the ICIL, NATO referred to the above incident stating that the site was in fact struck on 4 August 2011, because it had been identified as ‘a senior regime commander’s command and control node located within a residential property’. Based on its examination of the site, interviews with witnesses and satellite images the ICIL found that ‘evidence suggests NATO hit the wrong building (and) that those killed were civilians’. Amnesty International reached the same conclusions.”

A Human Rights Watch investigation quoted the father saying: “Around 6:30 a.m., I heard an explosion, a terrible sound. I got up, and dust was falling all over; I couldn’t see in front of me. I was trying to reach my children and family, but I kept falling down. I reached the main road, and with the help of neighbors, we tried to lift the blocks and reach my family.

The first one we reached was my wife; we found her dead in her place. And then we got to my mother who was still alive, wounded in the left leg and right shoulder. Then we found [my son] Naji, who was alive. Mohamed, five years old, we found next to him still alive. I had no strength to continue and looked to others to save my family. They took Mohamed to the hospital, but he died before he got there; they say he suffocated from the dust. Then they found [my other son] Moataz, three years old. His brain was out of his head; I saw it. My house is demolished. My children are dead.”

The report added: “Al-Morabit and neighborhood residents initially said that no Gaddafi forces were in the area at the time of the attack. But in a subsequent interview on December 7, 2011, without the presence of a government minder, they said that the house next door had housed Gaddafi military personnel until August 2, two days before the attack. At the al-Morabit house itself, they said, they knew of no military equipment or personnel. A Human Rights Watch inspection of the house and yard on August 7 revealed no signs of military activity or material; however, evidence of a military target could potentially have been moved.

According to al-Morabit and two neighbors, interviewed separately, Libyan military personnel had used the large house next door to the al-Morabit house since late June. When the personnel moved into the house, al-Morabit said, he and his family began sleeping at his brother’s house, fearing a NATO attack in the area. He did not know how many military personnel and from which forces had moved into the neighboring house.”

NATO reported hitting “1 Military Radar Site, 1 Military Storage Facility” in Zliten on August 5th in its operational update.

The incident occured at approximately 6:30 am local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

5 years old male killed
3 years old male killed
37 years old female killed
60 years old female

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (24) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Destroyed Morabit family home in Zliten after NATO airstrike on August 5th, 2011 (via Amnesty International)
  • Killed Morabit family members after NATO airstrike in Zliten on August 5th, 2011 (via Amnesty International)
  • Killed Morabit family members after NATO airstrike in Zliten on August 5th, 2011 (via Amnesty International)
  • Killed and injured Morabit children after NATO airstrike in Zliten on August 5th, 2011 (via Amnesty International)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The three victims of the the NATO strikes on the Morabit family home in Zliten on August 4th, 2011 (Youssef Shaftar)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the house of Mustafa Naji Al Morabit (مسكن مصطفى ناجي المرابط) being struck, within the city of Zlitan (زليتن), the exact location of which has been published by New York Times and Human Rights Watch. The exact coordinates are: 32.472842, 14.489344.

  • Reports of the incident mention the house of Mustafa Naji Al Morabit (مسكن مصطفى ناجي المرابط) being struck, within the city of Zlitan (زليتن), the exact location of which has been published by New York Times and Human Rights Watch.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

NATO forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    NATO forces
  • NATO forces position on incident
    Under investigation
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Civilian casualty statements

NATO forces
  • Jan 8, 2012
  • This target had been identified as a regime senior commander’s command and control node, located within a residential property four miles west of Zlitan. At no time were civilians intentionally targeted. The target building and buildings immediately adjacent to it were used exclusively by senior regime commanders as an active command and control facility directing forces in the Zlitan area. The structure was positively identified and one precision guided weapon was dropped on 4 August. Review of intelligence confirms that the correct and intended building was struck, and assessment of the claimed civilian casualties at the time concluded that this was highly unlikely. This incident is under further assessment.

Original strike reports

NATO forces

In the vicinity of Zlitan: 1 Military Radar Site, 1 Military Storage Facility.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (24) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC113

Incident date

April 13, 2019

Location

السواني, Al Swani, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.712224, 13.07224 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians were reportedly killed by indiscriminate artillery shelling on Al Swani.

Riyadh Burshan said that “on Saturday that 4 civilians were killed after being hit by shrapnel from indiscriminate shelling.”

Arraed news published a similar report.

Local reports indicate that shelling from both GNA and LNA occurred in the area.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Swani (السواني), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.712224, 13.07224. 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

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
    4
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC436

Incident date

May 29, 2023

Location

عين زارة, Ain Zara, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.805138, 13.269118 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A civilian man was injured by shelling between “Al Radaa” and “Brigade 444”, one of which is loyal to the Government of National Unity, which struck his home in Ain Zara on May 29, 2023.

A tweet from @ObservatoryLY reported that a house in Ain Zara was hit by a shell during clashes between “Al Radaa” and “Brigade 444” and its occupant was injured by shrapnel. Multiple local sources identified the injured man as the head of his family.

The Ambulance Services Libya posted on Facebook that the shelling occurred in the area of five streets of Ain Zara and that the injured person was treated at Istiqlal clinic.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • 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
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Government of National Accord

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian injured by clashes between militias in Ain Zara on May 29, 2023. (Image posted by Ambulance Services Libya via Facebook)
  • Damage caused by clashes between militias in Ain Zara on May 29, 2023. (Image posted by @ObservatoryLY)
  • Screenshot of Facebook post by Ambulance Services Libya

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Ain Zara (عين زارة) neighbourhood of the city of Tripoli (طرابلس الغرب), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.805138, 13.269118. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label-type":"white-red","stroke":"#ff0000","stroke-width":1,"stroke-opacity":1,"fill-opacity":0},"geometry":{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[13.2670211,32.8606276],[13.2668066,32.861709],[13.2758188,32.8655661],[13.2913756,32.8687736],[13.3109663,32.8505334],[13.3248709,32.8196668],[13.3204077,32.8003338],[13.3349989,32.7706046],[13.3377455,32.7579017],[13.3878707,32.7452692],[13.3317374,32.7333569],[13.3186911,32.729458],[13.3015249,32.7311909],[13.2883502,32.7244393],[13.2754325,32.7199268],[13.2641459,32.7228868],[13.2548332,32.725559],[13.2402418,32.7241148],[13.2214022,32.7252335],[13.2143212,32.7244032],[13.2009744,32.7255585],[13.2010175,32.7408289],[13.2011891,32.7487158],[13.1990003,32.7529205],[13.1962966,32.763676],[13.2002447,32.776378],[13.2150937,32.7930643],[13.2243204,32.8045718],[13.2202434,32.8168538],[13.2200717,32.8198833],[13.2162952,32.8242832],[13.2155656,32.8259781],[13.2154798,32.828827],[13.2155013,32.8298187],[13.2164239,32.8320906],[13.222711,32.8346147],[13.2280755,32.8369946],[13.2432889,32.8441879],[13.2474517,32.8471444],[13.2565498,32.8503171],[13.26303,32.8525163],[13.2657766,32.8544991],[13.2668924,32.8569506],[13.2670211,32.8606276]]]}}]}

Government of National Accord Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • 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
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Government of National Accord

Sources (7) [ collapse]