Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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

Incident Code

LC053

Incident date

December 8, 2016

Location

الجيزة, Giza, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.209315, 16.596694 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Various local sources reported that Hanan bin Sirteya Gaddafi, a dermatologist from Sirte, was killed in an airstrike in a house in the Giza district in Sirte.

Alwasat and Rihab News claimed that she and her husband, Osama Shuaib Zayani, joined ISIS once it took over Sirte and that she leaves behind two children. Zayani was described in reports as a prisoner (presumably of the GNA).

None of the sources named the belligerent who conducted the strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hanan bin Sirteya Gaddafi
Age unknown female Via ٍRihab News killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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
    Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Giza (الجيزة), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.209315, 16.596694. 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 Giza (الجيزة).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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
    Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC025

Incident date

March 6, 2016

Location

جارف, Jarf, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.078051, 16.312600 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One man died and his son and another man were wounded in an airstrike on the village of Jarf, local media reported.

Multiple sources, including Ewan Libya, named the fatality as Muhammad Hessar Amouri, adding that his son Abu-Shiba Abdulrahman Abustah was wounded, as was a third man, named as Omran Zerouq Khattari.

According to @AbuzeidSultan, the Muhammad Hessar Amouri was the father of eight children, and he was killed when the strike hit the shops in Jarf.

Citing a local resident, Reuters also reported the death of one civilian in Sirte. The local blamed military forces in western Misrata, which supported the Tripoli government.

Additionally, Ewan Libya reported that unidentified airstrikes hit Sirte in the city centre, the town Jarf in the south of Sirte and Thahair in the outskirts. The strikes reportedly targeted ISIL forces who were claimed to have gathered in these areas. A source told Ewan Libya that houses were damaged – but made no mention of civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male Via Hani Adem killed
Adult male Via Hani Adem injured
Adult male Via Hani Adem injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: Aerial bombardment in the outskirts of the city of Sirte in the village of Jarif and the martyrdom of Muhammad Hisar and wounded Abushiba and Omaran al-Zarrouq al-Khadiry from Gadadga (Source: Hani Adem)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Jarf (جارف), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.078051, 16.312600. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC100

Incident date

January 16, 2019

Location

طرابلس‎, Tripoli: Airport area, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.692666, 13.143217 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The death of Mahmud Al Temzini was reported as a result from renewed militia shelling in the south of Tripoli.

Abu Salim Media reported: “A shell fell on a farm near Tripoli airport and led to the death of the civilian Mahmud al-Tamziti.”

Libya Now mentioned he was the father of three children.

Haithem H O Hellash and Libya Alhader said it was, in fact, a tank shell.

The Tripoli Wounded Affairs Administration reported a total of two civilian deaths and two injuries from the clashes. These numbers can, however, include casualties from gunfights. Three combatants were reported killed and 36 reportedly injured.

Local reports indicate that GNA-affiliated militias or the rival 7th Brigade are responsible for the shelling.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmud Al Temzini
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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, 7th Brigade

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Pictures of the incident
  • Statistics from the clashes

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Tripoli Airport (طرابلس‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.692666, 13.143217. 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

7th Brigade Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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, 7th Brigade

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC131

Incident date

April 28, 2019

Location

عين زارة, Ain Zara, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.816556, 13.267525 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was allegedly killed following an LNA airstrike on Ain Zara.

Libya Alahrar TV reported: “Civilian neighborhoods in Salaheddin and Ain Zara were hit by aerial bombardment of night air for the second consecutive day.

The spokesman for the ambulance and emergency department, Osama Ali, told the Free Libya Channel that the aerial bombardment caused the death of an African worker in the area of Ain Zara, he said.”

In a different video, also posted by Libya Alahrar TV, it was said that the damage was caused by a Grad rocket.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Video of the aftermath

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Ain Zara (عين زارة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.816556, 13.267525. 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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC038

Incident date

August 5, 2016

Location

قنفودة, Ganfouda, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.028594, 20.026959 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An elderly man was reportedly killed in an LNA airstrike in Ganfouda, according to Emhona who reported the event on Twitter. He didn’t provide any further details.

The LNA itself reported that its MiG-21 and a MiG-23 targeted the Shura Council in Ganfouda which reported five of its fighters died in an official statement on Twitter.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Ganfouda (قنفودة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.028594, 20.026959. 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 Ganfouda (قنفودة).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

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
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC101

Incident date

January 19, 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

The journalist Mohamed Ben Khalifa was reportedly killed in indiscriminate artillery shelling while covering militia clashes in the south of Tripoli.

Reuters reported that “Mohamed Ben Khalifa died of a random shell in the Libyan capital while covering the clashes.”

Al Jazeera added: “Ben Khalifa died while accompanying a militia patrolling the Qaser Bin Ghashir area south of Tripoli, according to Hamza Turkia, a freelance journalist.”

Ben Khalifa’s death sparked widespread attention on social media with plenty of other Libyan and international sources reporting on the incident.

Local reports of the clashes point at GNA-affiliated militias or the 7th Brigade as the perpetrator of the shelling.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohamed Ben Khalifa
Adult male Journalist 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, 7th Brigade

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Protests following the killing
  • Picture of the victim
  • Another picture of the victim (via Ebadi el-Mas)
  • Another picture of the victim (via Ebadi al-Mas)
  • Picture from the funeral (via Ebadi el-Mas)
  • Another picture from the funeral (via Ebadi el-Mas)

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

7th Brigade Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    7th Brigade
  • 7th Brigade 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, 7th Brigade

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC149

Incident date

June 7, 2019

Location

معيتيقة, Tripoli: Mitiga International Airport, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.895041, 13.2785 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A child was reported killed in an alleged LNA airstrike that struck Mitiga airport in Tripoli. According to the local source Libya Post, the child’s mother sustained injuries to her neck and face while the father was wounded in the back. The child’s brother sustained minor injuries as well.

No other details are known at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muham
Child killed
Brother of Muhab
Child male injured
Mother of Muhab
Adult female injured
Father of Muhab
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child wounded by an alleged LNA airstrike on Mitiga Airport in Tripoli on June 7th (via Libya Post).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child wounded by an alleged LNA airstrike on Mitiga Airport in Tripoli on June 7th (via Libya Post).
  • A child who survived an alleged LNA airstrike on Mitiga Airport in Tripoli on June 7th (via Libya Post).
  • Injuries sustained in an alleged LNA airstrike on Mitiga Airport in Tripoli on June 7th (via Libya Post).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Tripoli Mitiga International Airport (طرابلس‎ مطار معيتيقة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.895041, 13.2923412. 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

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC137a

Incident date

May 12, 2019

Location

الجفينة, Al Jafina, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.824722, 13.482222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman was reportedly killed and her two children injured by LNA shelling on Tripoli.

Riyadh Burshan said two civilians were injured in the incident.

Al Jazeera posted on Twitter: “A woman and her two children were injured when shells fell on Al-Jafina neighborhood southeast of Tajoura, east of the Libyan capital.”

Libya Alahrar published a similar entry and said the mayor of Tajoura confirmed the injuries.

Pen Libya said that the mother of the Al Khalqi family died.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Awatif al-Khaliqi
Adult female Mother killed
Mohammed
Child male Son injured
Obaidah
male Son injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Video showing one of the children allegedly injured in the attack
  • Another video of the child
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    More picturs of the incident

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Jafina (الجفينة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.824722, 13.482222. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.

Sources (7) [ collapse]