All Belligerents in Libya, 2011

All Belligerents in Libya, 2011

Mourners in Majer, Libya in 2011 following a NATO airstrike which killed at least 34 civilians, according to multiple reports. Image courtesy of Sidney Kwiram/ Human Rights Watch

Belligerent
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Libya
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Incident Code

Lib2011-154

Incident date

August 29, 2011

Location

بني وليد, Bani Walid, Misurata, Libya

Geolocation

31.771461, 14.047162 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 19 civilians were allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Bani Walid.

Riyad Jaber said: “The martyr Salah Saad Barnous was martyred on the 29th of Ramadan by the NATO bombing.”

Mustafa Al Fitouri wrote in his book: “On the night of 29th-30th August Salah Sa’ed Barnous 23 years old, an university student and the only son to his mother, was killed while an airstrike targeted a building near a military building inside a residential neighborhood.”

He added: “The fifth airstrike targeted Bani Wali 180 km southwest of Tripoli – before midnight on August 29th 2011 hitting a site called Al Qate in the midtown killed 19.
Al Qate’ is a military site according two witness testimonies collected by the Libyan organisation for Human rights bin Wali branch – the site was empty during the first airstrike and the people gathered to help and all the killed are civilians.”

NATO on that day declared striking “2 Command and Control Node, 1 Military Ammo Storage Facility” near Bani Walid.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Salah Saad Barnous
23 years old male killed
Muhammad Al-Fitouri Hassan
15 years old male killed
Sharaf al-Din Taher Muhammad
16 years old male killed
Abdel Hamid Belkacem Al Mahdi
20 years old male killed
Mustafa Ibrahim Faraj
23 years old male killed
Gaddafi Moftah Abdul Salam
15 years old male killed
Saad Abdullah Muhammad
11 years old male killed
Hassan Mohamed Faraj
18 years old male killed
Fathi Abdel Qader Bashir
23 years old male killed
Essam Saleh Muhammad
21 years old male killed
Hussein Ahmed Miftah
21 years old male killed
Ahmed Ibrahim Mohamed
34 years old male killed
Osama Saeed Imal
22 years old male killed
Ramadan Abed Ahadi Abdullah
40 years old male killed
Hussein Abdullah Sultan
40 years old male killed
Saad Abdullah Muhammad
Age unknown male killed
Ali Al-Osta ِAhdada
Age unknown male killed
Ayman Dhawal-Shandouli
18 years old male Born 1989 killed
Abdul Karim Sam Abdul Karim
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19
  • (4 children12 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 (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • Salah Saad Barnous, allegedly killed by NATO bombing on Bani Walid on August 29th, 2011 (via Riyad Jaber)
  • Salah Saad Barnous, allegedly killed by NATO bombing on Bani Walid on August 29th, 2011 (via Mu’aer Awhida)
  • Salah Saad Barnous, allegedly killed by NATO bombing on Bani Walid on August 29th, 2011 (via Al Awhidat)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Military camp near Bani Walid allegedly hit by NATO airstrike on August 29th, 2011 (via Bani Walid Blogspot)
  • Ayman Dhawal-Shandouli, allegedly killed by NATO airstrike on Bani Walid on August 29th, 2011 (via Taha Al Shandouli)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a residential building being struck in the vicinity of a military camp within the town of Bani Walid (بني وليد). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Bani Walid are: 31.771461, 14.047162.

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 Bani Walid: 2 Command and Control Node, 1 Military Ammo Storage Facility.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19
  • (4 children12 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 (25) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-169

Incident date

September 18, 2011

Location

الحي رقم 3, Neighbourhood No. 3, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.204873, 16.600943 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On September 18th, 2011, three children were reported to have died from NATO bombardment in the third residential area of Sirte.

Nour al-Din Nasser al-Zanki reported the deaths of two children, while a Facebook page from a father reported the death of another child on the same day.

NATO confirmed airstrikes on “1 Military Facility, 1 Command and Control Node, 1 Multiple Rocket Launcher, 4 Air Missile Systems” in the vicinity of Sirte on the 18th.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Iman Ibrahim Ali Bobriq
Child male killed
Hanadi Ibrahim Aboubriq
Child female killed
Najah Salah Nasr Al Shamekh Aboubriq
Child female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2–3 children)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the third neighbourhood (الحي رقم 3) of Sirte (سرت‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.204873, 16.600943. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the third neighbourhood (الحي رقم 3) of Sirte (سرت‎).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

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 Sirte: 1 Military Facility, 1 Command and Control Node, 1 Multiple Rocket Launcher, 4 Air
Missile Systems.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2–3 children)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-124

Incident date

July 9, 2011

Location

مستشفى الاطفال, Children's Hospital, Misurata, Libya

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

On July 9th, 2011, shelling from Gaddafi forces killed two civilians and injured 12 in Misurata, including killing one female infant in the Children’s Hospital.

@Bozakook tweeted that “indiscriminate shelling hit 12 civilians in Misrata, and 2 were killed” (translated from Arabic), and was the only source reporting injuries and two civilian deaths.

Voodito tweeted: “The youngest martyr in Libya is a one-hour-old child. The bombing by the Gaddafi Brigades did not even have mercy on the Children’s Hospital.”

Multiple other sources confirmed the death of the infant.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Name unknown
Child female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Children’s Hospital (مستشفى الاطفال), allegedly located within the city of Misurata (مصراتة). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Misurata 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
    2
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-210

Incident date

October 30, 2011

Location

سرت‎, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.20892, 16.58866 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to a single source, 48 people were killed and 50 injured by an airstrike on Sirte. It is unclear who conducted the attack and if the victims were civilians.

Magical_Libya tweeted: “Urgent Libya Al-Sumud A correspondent of Libya Al-Samoud said in Sirte that about 48 people were killed and 50 wounded in a missile strike targeting a building in the city.”

There is currently no further information available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 48
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–50
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–48
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–50

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Sirte (سرت), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.20892, 16.58866. 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
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 48
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–50
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–48
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–50

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-138

Incident date

August 9, 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

At least 16 people, identified as Egyptian workers, were killed by Gaddafi forces on August 9, 2011 in Misrata according to Abdul Asallak’s post on YouTube and a tweet by @tounsiahourra.

Multiple sources stated that those killed were Egyptian workers who worked in a warehouse in the Kararim area of Misrata. A video posted by Abdul Asallak’s on YouTube shows more than 10 dead bodies in a pile.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-185

Incident date

September 28, 2011

Location

سرت, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.190547, 16.571441 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One source shows several people who are injured due to the NATO strike inside a hospital in Sirte and the doctors trying to revive them.

The video posted by Surt Son is captured “The death of dozens of civilians in Sirte a result of NATO bombing and the rebels to revive the city.”

NATO itself said it bombed “1 ammunition / vehicle storage facility, 1 staging and firing location, 1 command and control node and staging area, 2 ammunition and missile facilities, 1 tank” in the vicinity of Sirte on that day.

There is currently no further information available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    NATO forces

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The video is capturing civilians who have been injured and killed as a result of the allegedly NATO strike in Sirte on September 28th, 2011 (via Surt Son)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Sirte (سرت‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.190547, 16.571441. 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 Sirte: 1 ammunition / vehicle storage facility,1staging and firing location, 1command and control node and staging area, 2 ammunition and missile facilities, 1tank.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    NATO forces

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-037

Incident date

March 18, 2011

Location

أولاد أبوالهول, Awlad Abu Al Houl , Jabal Al Gharbi, Libya

Geolocation

31.930396, 12.250838 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March 18th, 2011, it was reported by a single source that pro-Gaddafi forces had bombed a residential area in Awlad Abu Al Houl, wounding at least six people.

This claim was only reported by al Jazeera, and was unable to be confirmed from any currently available sources.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Awlad Abu Al Houl (أولاد أبوالهول) area, allegedly located within the vicinity of Zintan (الزنتان) city. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Zintan are: 31.930396, 12.250838.

Gaddafi Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-052

Incident date

March 29, 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

At least 18 civilians were allegedly killed by Gaddafi forces artillery shelling on Misurata.

According to Al Jazeera: “In Misurata, the rebels announced that Gaddafi forces had killed more than 18 civilians on Tuesday, and that government forces were still bombing the city and clashing with the fighters.”

Deutsche Welle wrote: “The forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi’s regime advanced today, Tuesday, backed by tank shells, into Misurata (150 km east of Tripoli), some areas of which are still under the control of the rebels, a spokesman for the National Transitional Council told AFP. “Misrata is in danger. The criminal forces (Muammar Gaddafi) are advancing inside the city and the tanks are shelling indiscriminately,” said the spokesman, who asked not to be identified. The spokesman added that the pro-regime forces only control the northwestern part of the city.”

DW added that “a medical source in the city of Misurata announced that the forces loyal to the Libyan Colonel Muammar Gaddafi had killed at least 142 people and wounded more than 1,400 people during their offensive against the rebels in the city, according to the French news agency. ‘Since March 18, we have received at least 142 dead,’ said the source, who declined to be identified. ‘We are unable to count the wounded, but we have exceeded 1,400 people, more than ninety of them are in critical condition,’ he added. He indicated that a Turkish ship is expected to arrive during the day to transport about fifty wounded people.” It unclear if these were civilians or rebels.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18
  • 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 (2) [ 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
    18
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]