Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
Libya
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Incident Code

LC015

Incident date

March 24, 2015

Location

ام الرشراش, Umm Al Rashrash, Murqub, Libya

Geolocation

32.2891782, 13.6329552 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An LNA airstrike reportedly hit a Libya Dawn camp in Tarhuna. While most sources reported no civilians and only a few Libya Dawn fighters dead, two sources said that eight internally displaced Tawergha were killed in the attack.

Middle East Eye quoted a Libya Dawn spokesperson: “Eight Libyan civilians died in the strike. Sadly this is their strategy, to kill civilians and claim to the international community that they are after weapons.”

According to Akhbar, a refugee camp was struck and not a weapons depot. The source reported that “a plane of Libyan-backed forces loyal to the Libyan government launched a raid on the town of Tarhouna near Tripoli, which it said targeted a weapons depot. But but the controlling government in the capital said it had hit a refugee camp and killed eight civilians.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Translation: Dozens of people were killed after the air force bombed the sites of Dawn of Libya in Tarhona (Source: @wady_dynar)
  • Translation: # Libya: Two people killed in aerial bombardment of aircraft # Haftar on the town of Tarhona southeast of # Tripoli (Source: @almokhtsar)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention an airstrike targeting the Umm Al Rashrash (ام الرشراش)  area south of Tarhuna (ترهونة), Libya, for which the generic coordinates are: 32.2891782, 13.6329552. Based on the limited information and satellite imagery 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
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-130

Incident date

July 25, 2011

Location

زليتن, Zliten, Murqub, Libya

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a hospital in the vicinity of Zliten (زليتن), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.466659, 14.566591. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

NATO forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

NATO forces
Official source

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC026

Incident date

March 9, 2016

Location

الزعفران, Zaafran, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.207222, 16.550278 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two female children and their mother from Hamad Hamed Al-Sayah Hambali were among up to eight victims who died in airstrikes on the area of Zafaran and the power station in Sirte, local media reported. The daughters were named as Isra and Wafaa.

According to Mahmoud Mohamed Salem on March 9th, “there were frequent reports of aircraft hitting civilian targets in the city of Sirte, the latest of which was this morning. The house of Hamed Hamed Al-Hiyal Al-Hamali was attacked in the city of Sirte near the water station and the buildings of the water and electricity company, 7 km west of Sirte. Sources said that the family lost two of its daughters and the mother is still in the intensive care room.”

However other sources including Seda Libya and Ali Alkasih reported that the mother was also killed.

One source, Fazan News Agency, put the death toll as high as eight.

Libya Now also reported that there had been deaths as a result of a bombing in the Zafaran area, though it didn’t provide casualty figures.

On November 22nd, Airwars contacted Ahmed Hamid al-Sayah, the father of the victims who is based in Egypt. He confirmed the death of his two daughters and his son and daughter being injured in the incident. He provided several documents including images and hospital reports. The father claims the GNA conducted the strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Wafa Ahmed Hamid Al-Sayah
Child female Via the victim family killed
Isra Ahmed Hamed Al-Sayah
Child female Via the victim family killed
Hamid Ahmed Al-Sayah
Child male Via the victim family injured
Sister of Hamid Al-Sayah
Adult female Via the victim family injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
    Government of National Accord
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The children Isra and Wafaa killed in an airstrike on Sirte, March 9th (via Khaled Alkhwaildi)
  • An image showing the victims' house in Sirte (via the victims' family)
  • An image showing the victims' house in Sirte (via the victims' family)
  • An image showing the victims' house in Sirte (via the victims' family)
  • An image shows the victims house in Sirte city following by an unknown airstrike which led to killing two little girls and injured one child and an adult woman (source: the victim family)
  • An image showing the victims' house in Sirte (via the victims' family)
  • An image showing the victims' house in Sirte (via the victims' family)
  • An image showing the victims' house in Sirte (via the victims' family)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image showing Hamid Ahmed al-Sayah, allegedly injured in the incident (via the victim's family)
  • An image shows the death certificate of the Esra al-Syah, killed followed an unknown airstrike on her house (via victim's family)
  • An image shows the death certificate of the Wafa al-Syah, killed followed an unknown airstrike on her house (via victim's family)
  • A picture shows Hamid's sister hospital report who was injured following an unknown airstrike on her house in Sirte (via victim's family)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a residential building being struck in the neighbourhood of Zafraan (الزعفران). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Zaafran are: 31.207222 16.550278.

  • Reports of the incident mention a residential building being struck in the neighbourhood of Zafraan (الزعفران).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Government of National Accord Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
    Government of National Accord
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC187a

Incident date

August 31, 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

Between six and eight civilians were allegedly killed in an LNA airstrike on Murzuq.

The Libya Observer reported: “The member of Murzuq municipality Mohammed Omar said a warplane for Khalifa Haftar’s forces struck Saturday afternoon Murzuq in southern Libya twice.

Omar told the German news agency that between six and eight people had been killed in airstrikes on eastern part of the town – Anti-Desertification Project – near the meteorology building where many houses are located.”

There is currently no more information available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village 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.

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC102

Incident date

February 3, 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

Between two and seven civilians were reportedly killed in an LNA airstrike near Murzuq.

Media Center Sidra wrote: “The remnants of Al-Karama’s [LNA] rockets were given to the Sidra Media Center by residents in the outskirts of the town of Murzuq without some explosions, and the fragments spread over houses and buildings.

An airstrike in the town of Murzuq killed four civilians and wounded others, according to medical sources.

The aircraft took off from Tamanhint base Tamanhant led by Lieutenant ‘Ayoub al-Obeidi'”

Libya Panorama provided a lower death count saying two were killed and four injured.

Libya Post reported the highest death toll, saying that “seven civilians were killed and more than 20 injured in an air strike by a plane belonging to the criminal Haftar on the city of Murzuq in southwest Libya.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Pictures of the aftermath and the approximate location
  • Pictures from the alleged aftermath of the attack
  • A supposed victim being treated after the attack (via Libya Observer)
  • Another supposed victim being treated after the attack (via Libya Observer)
  • Demonstation in Ubari following the attack

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.

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
    2 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-070

Incident date

April 20, 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

Seven civilians were reported killed as a result of indiscriminate shelling on Misurata by Gaddafi forces. Among them were two internationally known photojournalists, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros.

The BBC reported: “Briton Tim Hetherington, 40, is said to have been killed in a rocket-propelled grenade attack. US photographer Chris Hondros, 41, was also killed, and two others, including Briton Guy Martin, were injured.”

A former colleague later said they were indeed killed by a mortar shell: “Sebastian Junger had planned to be along on that assignment. ‘At the last minute, I couldn’t go,’ he told Koppel. ‘Tim went on his own, and was hit with a fragment from an .81 mm mortar, the same mortar that killed Chris Hondros.'”

In a Vanity Fair article he reiterated the story: “Tim was 40 years old when he died and had devoted most of his professional life to documenting the human cost of war. On April 20, in a bombed-out section of Misrata, a single mortar shell made him part of the cost. He was hit in the groin with shrapnel and bled out in the back of a pickup truck while Guillermo Cervera, a Spanish photojournalist he had just met, held his hand and tried to keep him awake. Hours earlier, amidst fierce shelling by Qaddafi forces, Tim had sent what was to be his last message on Twitter: In besieged Libyan city of Misurata. Indiscriminate shelling by Qaddafi forces. No sign of NATO.”

According to the Daily Mail, three more people were injured in the attack.

Arab Anger Revolution said that five more people were killed on that day in Misurata due to indiscriminate shelling.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Tim Hetherington
40 years old male Photographer killed
Chris Hondros
41 years old male Photographer killed
Guy Martin
Adult male Photographer injured
Michael Brown
Adult male Freelance journalist injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 men2 journalist)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Tim Hetherington (via CBS)
  • Chrin Hondros (via CBS)
  • Video report on the incident by BBC Arabic
  • Euro News report on the incident

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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 men2 journalist)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC008

Incident date

December 3, 2014

Location

زوارة بورت , Zuwara Port, Nuqat al Khums, Libya

Geolocation

32.921944, 12.120556 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

LNA airstrikes reportedly targeted the port area in Zuwara. Most sources claimed there were no civilian casualties, though one report said that seven people were killed and 25 injured – but didn’t specify if they were civilians or combatants.

Ean Libya reported that the security official Spokesman (Hafed Muamer) confirmed that no casualties occurred during this strike: A warplane bombed the port without causing any civilian casualties, and it was also not possible to know the material losses so far, the spokesman of the security bureau, Zuwara Hafez Muammar, was quoted as saying.

According to Almukhtaser, seven people were killed and 25 injured in air strikes on the Libyan city of Zuwara in raids by the government aircraft of Haftar.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–25
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Translation: 7 persons have been killed in an alleged LNA airstrikes (Source: @almokhtsar)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Zuwara Port (زوارة بورت ), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.922249, 12.118607. 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
    0 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–25
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC047

Incident date

October 24, 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

The US conducted four airstrikes in the Giza neighbourhood in Sirte. One source on Facebook mentioned that Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous soldiers found seven dead bodies of civilians in a house. The bodies were apparently charred.

According to Madridi Aween, “Our rebels found a number of bodies in several houses in the camp during a search by the Military Engineering forces. They found seven bodies in a house, some of them charred”.

However, the combatant status of the victims was unclear.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces

Sources (7) [ 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

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]