Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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

Incident Code

LC119

Incident date

April 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

One child allegedly died from indiscriminate artillery shelling on Qasr Bin Gashir near Tripoli.

Mohamed Al Terhouni posted on Facebook: “Today my wife’s cousin, Radwan Milad Attiya, died because of a mortar shell. My wife’s brother and his cousin were slightly injured.”

Mohammed A Alhise said that the two injured were both cousin’s of Attiya.

Other sources provided similar information and posted pictures of the victim.

Local reports of shelling point at GNA or LNA as the perpetrator of the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Radwan Milad Attiya
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Photos os the victim and the incident
  • Another picture of the victim

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 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC140

Incident date

May 14, 2019

Location

الملجأ, Almalja, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.68869, 13.174971 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to six civilians were reported killed by indiscriminate shelling on Qasr Bin Gashir, likely conducted by the GNA.

The General Command of the Libyan Armed Forces showed the image of an injured child.

Qasr Bin Gashir Official reported the death of Ahmed al-Mazougi.

Qalam Rasas said: “The death toll has risen to 6, including a woman, a baby and a 7-year-old girl. Rocket attacks on the militias of the Sarraj government targeted their homes in the area of Qasr Bin Ghashir south of the capital Tripoli.”

Almarsad published a more detailed summary of events: “The number of people killed in a rocket attack of GNA forces in the Qasr Bin Gashir area, has risen to six civilians, including infant and a seven-year-old girl from the Faraj Beshish family.

Residents of the neighborhood told them that at least three rockets landed on the densely populated “Al Malja neighborhood ” in the Qasr Bin Gashir municipality. Ahmed Fathi al-Hadi al-Mazouji and his mother, a eight-month pregnant woman, Hanan, and four others were injured. Including his brother and sister.

One of the rockets targeted the house of Hammadi al-Tarhouni, wounding a housewife called ‘Aisha’, an elderly woman who was seriously wounded. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition, and a fire broke out in the two houses. Faraj Bishish accompanied her pregnant mother as shown in this video clip just before inside the hospital.

In the same area, another missile hit cars parked in front of houses in the same neighborhood, causing the fire to erupt as people tried to control the fire.”

An on-the-ground investigation by Amnesty International later concluded: Fragments recovered at the scene confirm that heavy artillery projectiles were used in this attack. As even modern artillery has a circular error probable (CEP) of at least 100 meters at the weapon’s typically employed range, this weapon is not appropriate for use in dense urban environments. The site of the strike was over two kilometres behind the front line, and no military target was visible on satellite imagery of the time. Direct attacks targeting civilians may constitute war crimes.

The incident occured at 00:15:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed al-Mazougi
Child male killed
Ahmed Fathi al-Hadi al-Mazouji
Age unknown male injured
Aisha
Adult female Housewife injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Ahmed al-Mazougi, supposedly killed in the incident
  • Another picture of Ahmed al-Mazougi and more photos from the aftermath of the attack
  • Pictures of the victims in the second tweet

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Almalja (الملجأ), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.68869, 13.174971. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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  • Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Almalja (الملجأ).

    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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC100a

Incident date

January 16, 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

Mahmoud Shalbik, a 23-year-old university student from Tripoli, was reportedly killed during armed clashes in the Libyan capital.

While most sources reported he was killed by stray bullet, UNSMIL said the “student at the University of Tripoli, Faculty of Economics, was killed at his home as result of incriminate shelling.”

Abdulrahman Ghummied stated on Twitter: “The young man “Mahmoud Shalbik” died because of a stray bullet and his friends survived driving to his house next to the bridge of Ben Ghashir.”

Local reports point at GNA-affiliated militia or the 7th Brigade as potential perpetrators of the shelling.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud Shalbik
23 years old 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, 7th Brigade

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Picture of the victim
  • Picture of a demonstration for the victim
  • Another picture of the demonstration for the victim
  • Another picture of the demonstration for the victim
  • Another picture of the demonstration for the victim

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC428

Incident date

May 14, 2022

Location

جنزور, Jamila Triangle, Janzour, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.823157, 12.986962 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Clashes at dawn on May 14th 2022 in the Jamila Triangle in the Janzour area, reported to be in the vicinity of the West Tripoli Electricity Station were reported to have caused civilian casualties, but reports differ in the number. However, according to another local source, the Municipal Council of Janzour did not mention any civilian casualties.

This ranges from “some civilians being injured” to “a family of five being killed” and “one dead and 5 wounded”. Therefore, between one to five people were reported killed, with up to five people reported injured.

A family of five were reported to have been killed when gunshots fell on a house near the Jamila Triangle in the Janzour area, Tripoli, in Libya. One source, Essa Essa, on Facebook, reported that the family were the Abu Shaiba family.

Another source commented that “some civilians were injured” and another local Facebook page, Libya Live, posted that “indiscriminate shooting [was] targeting the rooftops of houses in the Janzour area.”

@salaaah62 reported that the armed clashes were with “tanks.”

The clashes were reported to be between the militias of the 55th Infantry Brigade and the Knights of Janzour. There are other references to civilians being injured in these attacks, for example Al Ain reported that Janzour Media Centre confirmed that “many citizens passing from the coastal road were injured during the beginning of the attack” which started “at the gate of the West Tripoli Electricity Station.”

According to Al Arabiya, “the private clinics close to the clashes recorded the reception of one dead person and five wounded, with minor and moderate injuries.” It also reported that “no official data has been issued so far, neither from the Ministry of Health nor from the Prime Minister.”

Al Ain reported that the “violent clashes erupted at dawn” on May 14th 2022, “between the militias of the “55th Infantry Brigade” and “Forsan Janzour”, due to previous accumulations between the two sides, the most recent of which was the killing of Walid al-Qat, who belongs to the “55th Infantry Brigade”.

“The 55th Infantry” militia accused the Knights of Janzour of cooperating in the killing of Walid al-Qatt, after his arrest by the “Special Deterrence Force” militia, which caused the outbreak of violent clashes that led to deaths and injuries between the two parties, in the early hours of the morning. Al Ain reported that the attack was launched by the 55th Infantry.

The “Reporters” Facebook page posted that “this news came after a previous news story reported that an elderly woman had been killed in the same area, and the screaming woman was heard in the vicinity of the area. Our correspondent in the Janzour area reported that the people are appealing to the government to intervene quickly and asking the warring parties to open a saef corridor for them to get out of the areas of the clash..”

Al Ain also reported that Janzour Media Centre announced a power outage in several areas of Tripoli after the destruction of the power transmission towers, which were reportedly targeted by the 55th Infantry.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

Abu Shaima family

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • "A family of five died when an RPG bomber fell on a house near Jamila Triangle" on May 14th 2022 in Libya (Image via Libyansknoweachother / Facebook)
  • Al Ain reported that clashes between militias resulted in deaths and injuries on May 14th 2022 in Janzour, Tripoli (Image via Al-ain.com)
  • Al Ain reported that clashes between militias resulted in deaths and injuries on May 14th 2022 in Janzour, Tripoli (Image via Al-ain.com)
  • Al Ain reported that clashes between militias resulted in deaths and injuries on May 14th 2022 in Janzour, Tripoli (Image via Al-ain.com)
  • Al Arabiya reported that the private clinics close to where the militia clashes took place in Janzour, Tripoli recorded one dead person and five injured.
  • "The Municipal Council of Janzour: We condemn the attack on our city, and we are surprised that the official authorities have not communicated with us" (Image via Alsaaa24.com)
  • @MOHAMME_MAHJOUB reported clashes with tanks in Janzour resulting in deaths and injuries (Image via Twitter)
  • @MOHAMME_MAHJOUB reported clashes with tanks in Janzour resulting in deaths and injuries (Image via Twitter)
  • @MOHAMME_MAHJOUB reported clashes with tanks in Janzour resulting in deaths and injuries (Image via Twitter)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Janzour (جنزور) neighbourhood of Tripoli (طرابلس). The generic coordinates for Janzour are: 32.823157, 12.986962. Reports specifically mention clashes around the gate of the West Tripoli Power Station (محطة غرب طرابلس للكهرباء), for which the coordinates are: 32.820877, 12.973548. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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Libyan rebel forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Libyan rebel forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC120

Incident date

April 19, 2019

Location

مدرسة تحرير ليبيا, Tahrer School, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.688062, 13.178065 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child was reportedly killed by indiscriminate artillery shelling on Qasr Bin Gashir.

Riyadh Burshan said that Teqwa Abu Bakr Awn died after a shell landed in Qasr Bin Gashir.

Libyan News said it was near the School of Liberation.

Other sources published similar reports.

According to local sources, GNA and LNA were fighting in the area.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Teqwa Abu Bakr Awn
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • 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, Libyan National Army

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of the Tahrer School (مدرسة تحرير ليبيا) for which the generic coordinates are: 32.688062, 13.178065. 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

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • 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, Libyan National Army

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-111

Incident date

June 19, 2011

Location

بيت علي مخر الغراري, House of Ali Mukhar Al Gharari, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.881658, 13.291822 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between five and nine civilians were reported killed in a NATO airstrike on Tripoli. NATO later acknowledged likely causing civilian harm in the event.

Amnesty gave a detailed account of the incident in its Libya investigation: “On 19 June 2011 at about 1.30 am the home of Mukhtar al-Gharari, located in a densely built-up area of the Souq al-Juma’a district of Tripoli, was struck, killing five family members and injuring eight others. Those killed are Mukhtar al-Gharari’s 48-year-old son Faraj; his 38-year-old daughter Karima; her 44-year-old husband ‘Abdallah Nimr Shihab; and their two children, Jomana and Khaled, aged two years and seven months respectively.

“Surviving members of the family told Amnesty International that 18 family members were sleeping in the house at the time of the attack and that those who were killed had been sleeping on the upper floor. In a letter to the UN International Commission of Inquiry on Libya (ICIL) of 23 January 2012, NATO referred to the above incident and acknowledged the possibility that ‘an errant weapon had caused such casualties.'”

Human Rights Watch also published a detailed investigation: “At around 1:15 a.m. on June 19, 2011, a NATO air strike hit the three-story home of the al-Gherari family, in a residential neighborhood of Souk al-Juma, one of Tripoli’s larger districts. The attack killed five people, according to witnesses and family members interviewed by Human Rights Watch, who provided photographs of the victims, as well as one death certificate and three burial permissions. At least eight people were also wounded, the family said.

Human Rights Watch visited the site in August and December of 2011 and did not see any evidence of military activity such as weapons, ammunition, or communications equipment which might have indicated the building was a legitimate military target, although such evidence could have been removed. The family and neighbors all said that no Gaddafi forces were operating from the area at the time of the attack.”

The BBC reported that “Libya has accused Nato of killing at least five people in an airstrike that hit a house in the capital Tripoli.”

The Straits Times posted on Twitter: “Nato says it ‘regrets’ its 1st civilian casualties in Libya after botched airstrike that killed 9, including 2 toddlers.”

According to CBS News, “Libya’s government said NATO warplanes struck a residential neighborhood in the capital Sunday and killed nine civilians, including two children, adding to its accusations that the alliance is striking nonmilitary targets.”

A video piece by BBC Arabic later said nine civilians were killed and 18 injured. And Al Jamal reported members of a Syrian family had been killed.

In August 2011, NATO conceded that it had likely harmed civilians in the attack, noting that: “The Tarabulus SA-2 Support Facility was an active military storage and support site directly supporting regime forces in the region with military equipment as well as efforts to reconstitute air defence capabilities throughout Libya. It was struck on three separate occasions, targeting at least ten separate buildings and bunkers. During the 19 June target engagement in question, the targeted structures were positively identified and two precision-guided weapons were dropped.

“The second of these two weapons appears to have malfunctioned due to laser guidance problems, its impact was not observed and NATO was not able to determine where it in fact landed. After reviewing the case, it was concluded that it was possible that the errant weapon had caused such casualties. A public statement was made at the time by the OUP commander acknowledging this possibility and expressing regret for any casualties that may have resulted. This incident is under further assessment.”

Airwars later contacted Mohammed Al-Gharari for an investigation: “In desperation, he eventually traveled to Brussels, home to NATO headquarters. He paid a Belgian lawyer thousands of euros in a futile attempt to find out what the alliance knew about his family’s tragedy—including which nation had killed them. The money is long gone, but that information remains classified. Yet as Weighill noted, the nation that conducted the strike which killed Gharari’s family had internally admitted, almost immediately, that the operation ‘didn’t go well.'”

The incident occured between 1:15 am and 1:30 am local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (12)

Faraj al-Gharari
48 years old male Son of Mukhtar al-Gharari killed
Karima al-Gharari
38 years old female Daughter of Mukhtar al-Gharari
Abdallah Nimr Shihab
44 years old male Husband of Karima al-Gharari killed
Jomana
2 years old female Grandchild of Son of Mukhtar al-Gharari killed
Khaled
1 years old male Grandchild of Son of Mukhtar al-Gharari killed
Mohammed Ali Al Ghrari
35 years old male injured
Amer Ali Al Ghrari
37 years old male injured
Mohammed Salem Al Ghrari
Adult male Husband of Kareema injured
Fatima Ali Al Turki
0 years old female injured
Sou’ad Ali Al Ghrari
0 years old female injured
Latifa Al Hadi Al Habashi
45 years old female injured
Zaytouna Mouhtar Karkam
42 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 9
  • (2 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    18
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known targets
    Gaddafi forces, Other

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • BBC Arabic report on the incident
  • Mukhtar al-Gharari shows his home that was allegedly destroyed by a NATO airstrike on une 19th, 2011 (via Amnesty International)
  • Home allegedly destroyed by a NATO airstrike on une 19th, 2011 (via Amnesty International)
  • Home allegedly destroyed by a NATO airstrike on une 19th, 2011 (via Amnesty International)
  • Home allegedly destroyed by a NATO airstrike on une 19th, 2011 (via Mustafa Al Fetouri)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the house of Ali Mukhar Al Gharari (علي مخر الغراري) being struck, within the neighbourhood of Souq Al Juma ( سوق الجمعة ), the exact location of which has been published by Human Rights Watch. The coordinates are: 32.881658, 13.291822.

  • Reports of the incident mention the house of Ali Mukhar Al Gharari (علي مخر الغراري) being struck, within the neighbourhood of Souq Al Juma ( سوق الجمعة ), the exact location of which has been published by Human Rights Watch.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

NATO forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    NATO forces
  • NATO forces position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    Other
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Civilian casualty statements

NATO forces
  • Aug 3, 2011
  • The Tarabulus SA-2 Support Facility was an active military storage and support site directly supporting regime forces in the region with military equipment as well as efforts to reconstitute air defence capabilities throughout Libya. It was struck on three separate occasions, targeting at least ten separate buildings and bunkers. During the 19 June target engagement in question, the targeted structures were positively identified and two precision-guided weapons were dropped. The second of these two weapons appears to have malfunctioned due to laser guidance problems, its impact was not observed and NATO was not able to determine where it in fact landed. After reviewing the case, it was concluded that it was possible that the errant weapon had caused such casualties. A public statement was made at the time by the OUP commander acknowledging this possibility and expressing regret for any casualties that may have resulted. This incident is under further assessment.

Original strike reports

NATO forces

In the vicinity of Tripoli: 1 Military Vehicle Storage Facility, 2 Surface-To-Air Missile Guidance Radars.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 9
  • (2 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    18
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    NATO forces
  • Known targets
    Gaddafi forces, Other

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-073

Incident date

April 22, 2011

Location

باب العزيزية, Bab Al Azizia, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.871451, 13.172594 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were reported killed in a NATO airstrike near Tripoli.

Breaking News posted on Twitter: “Libya update: 3 die when NATO airstrike hits parking lot at Gadhafi compound in Tripoli – Govt. spokesman via Reuters.”

Other sources published similar news, referring back to the government spokesperson.

The Huffington post reported that the area was mostly used by the military: “NATO jets hit a target near Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s compound in central Tripoli early on Saturday, which the government described as a car park but which Reuters reporters said looked like a bunker.

Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said three people were killed by the “very powerful explosion” near Gaddafi’s Bab al-Aziziyah compound in the early hours of Saturday.

Reuters said cars were parked on the empty land but the area was surrounded by a wall and guarded by watchtowers and soldiers, suggesting it was not simply wasteland.

Its reporters saw two large holes in the ground, where the bombs had torn through a layer of soil, followed by a layer of reinforced concrete, to pierce what appeared to be an underground bunker.” NATO itself said it struck two bunkers on that day in Tripoli but did not mention civilian harm.

According to independent monitors, throughout the NATO campaign civilian casualty numbers provided by the Gaddafi regime were said to be inflated.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Report by BBC Arabic mentioning civilian casualties in Tripoli

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Bab Al Azizia (باب العزيزية),  for which the generic coordinates are: 32.871451, 13.172594. 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, 2011
  • NATO did not target health or water facilities, including those at military sites, at any time during OUP. On 23 April, there were strikes at five separate deliberate targets including command and control and ammunition bunkers. No known health or water facilities were within the target or weapons effects areas, and post-strike battle damage assessment indicated no collateral damage. In addition, 14 dynamic targets (main battle tanks, missile and rocket launchers, tank carriers, other military vehicles and a military command post) were struck in the Misrata and central regions; assessment by the aircraft delivering the weapon immediately following these strikes gave no indication of collateral damage.

Original strike reports

NATO forces

In Tripoli: 2 command and control bunkers.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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
  • Suspected target
    Gaddafi forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC430

Incident date

July 22, 2022

Location

شارع المطبات طريق المشتل, Al Matabat street in Al Mashtal road, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.847656, 13.289481 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian, a young man, was killed and four to five other men were injured in shelling carried out by “presidential agencies” on Al Matabat street in Tripoli on July 22, 2022.

According to @tkyroogklshytk, a shell fell on Al-Matabat Street behind the Qadour Clinic near a group of young men sitting on the street, injuring five of them, some of them seriously. Images posted by @tkyroogklshytk show damage to the road and buildings from the shells’ impacts.

24 Hours posted on Facebook that a young man was killed and four others were wounded by shelling from armed militias on a house on Al-Matabat Street. @L1JmG9xosh7fgo1 tweeted that in addition to the civilian killed, five other people were seriously injured.

A Facebook post by Al Marasad reported that young Ashour Al-Qanuni was killed and four of his neighbors’ sons (Ahmed, Al-Azhar, Asil, Haitham) were injured “after a shell fell on them while they were standing in the street in the Ain Zara area after they went out to perform Friday prayers”.

The majority of sources did not identify who was responsible for the shelling, while Al Marasad posted on Facebook that the “presidential agencies” carried out the shelling, indicating the Government of National Accord (GNA) was involved.

@taqarifatnews reported that the shelling caused a fire inside the wall of a house.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Ahmed
male injured
Al-Azhar
male injured
Asil Al Shabah
male injured
Haitham
male injured

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–5
  • 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
    GNA/Turkish Military

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by shelling on Al Matabat street in Tripoli on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by @tkyroogklshytk)
  • Damage caused by shelling on Al Matabat street in Tripoli on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by @tkyroogklshytk)
  • Damage caused by shelling on Al Matabat street in Tripoli on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by @tkyroogklshytk)
  • Blood from victims of shelling on Al Matabat street in Tripoli on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by @tkyroogklshytk)
  • Smoke caused by shelling on Al Matabat street in Tripoli on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by @tkyroogklshytk)
  • Smoke caused by shelling on Al Matabat street in Tripoli on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by @tkyroogklshytk)
  • Ashour Al-Qanuni, killed by shelling on Al Matabat street in Tripoli on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by @L1JmG9xosh7fgo1)
  • Ashour Al-Qanuni, killed by shelling on Al Matabat street in Tripoli on July 22, 2022. (Image posted by Mohammed Al Shefer via Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a strike in the vicinity of Al Mashtal Road (طريق المشتل) in the Ain Zara (عين زارة) neighbourhood of Tripoli (طرابلس). The generic coordinates for Al Mashtal Road are: 32.847656, 13.289481. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

GNA/Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    GNA/Turkish Military
  • GNA/Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–5
  • 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
    GNA/Turkish Military

Sources (13) [ collapse]