Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
Libya
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Incident Code

Lib2011-120

Incident date

June 28, 2011

Location

تاورغاء, Tawergha, Misurata, Libya

Geolocation

32.017169, 15.058388 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A NATO airstrike reportedly killed eight civilians in Tawergha.

Press TV reported: “A NATO warplane has targeted a market in the Libyan town of Tawragha, leaving at least eight civilians dead and several others wounded.

Some of the injured are in critical condition, Xinhua reported on Wednesday, citing a local news agency.

NATO carried out the airstrike on Tawragha, 300 km east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Tuesday amid reports that NATO warplanes were hovering over Tajura, another town 20 km east of Tripoli on the same day.”

Abbas Mansour said that “NATO bombed a vegetable market, a desalination center, and a two-storey house in Tawergha.”

Other sources said that the incident took place near the vegetable market and posted pictures and names of victims.

Tripoli Street denied that the incident happened and accused the people of lying.

NATO did not report airstrikes around Tawergha on that day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Faraj Ramadan Muhammad Faraj Allah
Age unknown male killed
Muhammad Ramadan Muhammad Faraj Allah
Age unknown male killed
Ramadan Faraj Ramadan Muhammad Faraj Allah
Age unknown male killed
Islam Faraj Ramadan Muhammad Faraj Allah
Age unknown male killed
Jafool Aqeelah Muhammad Aqoub
Age unknown male killed

The victims were named as:

Tariq Ashour Qassem
Adult male killed
Rizkallah Moftah Rizkallah
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (3 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Image of victims allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Tawergha on June 28, 2011 (via Alrasid Altawerghy)
  • Another picture of Tariq Ashour Qassem, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Tawergha on June 28, 2011 (via Alrasid Altawerghy)
  • Rizkallah Moftah Rizkallah, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Tawergha on June 28th, 2011 (via Youth for Tawergha)
  • Rizkallah Moftah Rizkallah, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Tawergha on June 28th, 2011 (via Youth for Tawergha)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Rizkallah Moftah Rizkallah, allegedly killed by a NATO airstrike on Tawergha on June 28th, 2011 (via Youth for Tawergha)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Tawergha (تاورغاء), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.017169, 15.058388. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

NATO forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (3 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    NATO forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC118

Incident date

April 16, 2019

Location

أبو سليم, Abu Salim, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.842957, 13.171578 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and six civilians were allegedly killed by indiscriminate LNA artillery shelling on the Abu Salim neighbourhood of Tripoli.

The Libya Observer said a Filipino worker was killed by shelling.

Field medicine and support center (FMSC) counted three dead and 11 injured.

GNA media wrote the shelling “resulted in the death of three women and one man, and more than 26 wounded, 7 of them with intensive care, four of them amputated, most of these injuries in the neighborhood of Abu Salim, and Salahuddin.”

Al Khal reported the death of the family of Sassi Abu Qusaiha, including mother, two daughters and grandmother.

OCHA reported six people, four of them women, dead “in heaviest shelling since eruption of clashes in Tripoli.”

The Municipal Council of Abu Salim later published a statement saying that “Civilian death toll rises to 7 after death of young man Ali Mohammed Al-Mabrouk, 22 years old, resident of Al-Nasr neighborhood, as a result of the indiscriminate bombing of yesterday night.”

On April 22 the Municipal Council added that Mohammed Ahmed Qashat Al-Zanati died from injuries sustained in the incident.

Though sources apportioned blamed to the LNA for the shelling it later condemned indiscriminate shelling in the outskirts of Tripoli.

Amnesty International later published a detailed report on the incident, saying: “On the night of 16 April, residents reported a number of rocket attacks in Hay al-Intissar. One eyewitness said five rockets struck five different homes – killing four women and one man, and injuring a young girl. The girl was taken to hospital in a critical condition, but survived.”

An on-the-ground investigation by Amnesty International later said: The rockets used in this strike on the Abu Salim neighbourhood are notoriously inaccurate. They cannot be aimed precisely at specific targets and should therefore never be used in populated residential areas. Those who launched these strikes would have known that the likelihood of harming civilians was very high. International humanitarian law prohibits indiscriminate attacks (attacks which are not directed at a specific military objective), as well as attacks which employ a method or means of combat which cannot be directed at a specific military objective. Launching an indiscriminate attack resulting in death or injury to civilians constitutes a war crime.

It also quoted one victim’s brother: “We were 13 people in the house when the rocket struck. Noureddine was upstairs with his wife and their three children and I was downstairs with my family and my parents and siblings. My brother was hit directly; his head and abdomen were split open and had other injuries in his arms and legs. He died instantly. I was only a few meters away from him but was not injured. It could have been me in his place, or anyone else from the family. There is no way of knowing where these rockets will strike and so there is nothing one can do to protect himself and his family. It is terrifying every time we hear shelling and we live with that fear all the time”

The report further states that all residents interviewed by Amnesty International believed the LNA conducted the attack.

The family of Mufida Sasi Abu Gasiah later filed a lawsuit against LNA leader Khalifa Haftar stating: “45. On April 16, 2019, Haftar and his forces launched missiles into the civilian
neighborhood of Hay Alintassar in Trippoli in which Mufida Sasi Abu Gasiah, her
mother, sister, and young daughter lived.
46. Defendant knew that there were numerous civilians living in this neighborhood. He
knew that there were women and children present.
47. Yet without any regard for human life, Defendant Haftar still launched missiles into
the Hay Alintassar, Trippoli.
48. Mufida Sasi Abu Gasiah, along with her mother, sister, and young daughter, lived on
Tariq Al Matar road in the neighborhood of Hay Alintassar, Trippoli.
49. Mufida Sasi Abu Gasiah, her mother and sister were all killed by the missile strike on
April 16, 2019.

Plaintiff Mais Ahmed Mayouf was the only survivor of the brutal attack. She was
taken to the hospital for observations but was then released.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Aziza Omar Ghuma
68 years old female Mother killed
Karima Abu Qse’aa
51 years old female Daughter killed
Mufida Sasi Abu Gasiah
54 years old female Daughter killed

The victims were named as:

Ali Mohammed Al-Mabrouk
22 years old male killed
Mohammed Ahmed Qashat Al-Zanati
23 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • (3–4 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–26
  • 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
    Libyan National Army

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Pictures of victims allegedly injured or killed in the shelling

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    More pictures of alleged victims
  • More pictures from the incident
  • A house allegedly damaged by shelling

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    More pictures from the incident

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Abu Salim (أبو سليم), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.842957, 13.171578. 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 Abu Salim (أبو سليم).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

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
    3 – 8
  • (3–4 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–26
  • 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
    Libyan National Army

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC050

Incident date

November 15, 2016

Location

بنغازي‎, Ganfouda, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Eight prisoners were reported killed following LNA airstrikes on Benghazi.

The LNA self-reported airstrikes in the following locations:

“A MiG-23ML and a Mig23BN reportedly targeted the vehicles and fighters of alleged terrorist groups while trying to escape from the Qawarsheh area to Qanfouda after the siege on, reportedly leading to their destruction.

A MiG-21 reportedly targeted fighters and vehicles in the fish market area.

The helicopters reportedly intensified their reconnaissance and combat missions in Qawarsheh area and Qanfouda, which destroyed a number of observatories, fighters and vehicles.”

However the Benghazi Shura Council later released a statement saying that eight prisoners detained by its forces were killed in an airstrike in an area under their control.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yonis Yosef al-Hisnawi
Age unknown male Via Mohamed Bo Shoqma killed
Osama Jomma al-Naili
Age unknown male Via Mohamed Bo Shoqma killed
Walid Saad Ben Naser al-Tawerghy
Age unknown male Via Mohamed Bo Shoqma killed
Aymen Naser Jabril al-Tawerghy
Age unknown male Via Mohamed Bo Shoqma killed
Mohamed Miftah Ali al-Tawerghy
Age unknown male Via Mohamed Bo Shoqma killed
Naser El-Deen Milad al-Tawerghy
Age unknown male Via Mohamed Bo Shoqma killed
Aymen Saad Baroud al-MAhjoub
Age unknown male Via Mohamed Bo Shoqma killed
Ali Jumma al-Fitory al-Tawerghy
Age unknown male Via Mohamed Bo Shoqma killed

Summary

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

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: a list of prisiners names that killed by air strike (Source: Mohamed Abu Shaqma)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention 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.

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

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC049

Incident date

November 14, 2016

Location

قرضة, Qaradah, Wadi al Shatii, Libya

Geolocation

27.544167, 13.629444 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

France allegedly conducted airstrikes in Qaradah north of Sabha which killed Al Qaeda leader Abdul Muneim al-Hasnawi, also known as Abu Talha al-Libi and six other members of the organisation.

The mayor of the city, Hassen Matoug, contested the events on Facebook and claimed that up to eight civilians were killed in the attack. He named two of them as Ghaweel and Hamad al-Ghawail and mentioned a Palestinian woman and her son as being killed in the attack as well.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

A Palestinian woman
female killed
The son of the Palestinian woman
Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Ghaweel
Age unknown killed
Hamad al-Ghawail
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    French Military

Sources (28) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Mohammed Qureysh shows the aftermath of the airstrike
  • Qaradah municipality gives a statement on the strike
  • France 24 reports on the airstrike
  • An image shows the targeted house which suspected where Abu Talha lives (via Alwasat)
  • Translation: the initial pictures that show the result of the airstrike on the civilian house in Gorda (Source: Libya Al Ahrar TV)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Qaradah (قرضة), for which the generic coordinates are: 27.544167, 13.629444. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

French Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    French Military
  • French Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    French Military

Sources (28) [ 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]

Incident Code

Lib2011-072

Incident date

April 20, 2011

Location

خلة الفرجان, Khallet Al Furjan, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.795738, 13.217038 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven civilians were reported killed and 18 other injured in Tripoli as a result of NATO bombing.

Arab Anger Revolution claimed that “NATO aircraft launched two air raids on the Libyan capital Tripoli on Wednesday evening, killing several people. Government television said seven people were killed and 18 others wounded when four rockets were fired at the Furjan area of ​​the capital.”

NATO itself reported six strikes on that day on “2 heavy equipment transporters, 3 armored vehicles” and “1 ammunition storage site” but did not admit to any civilian harm.

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

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    18
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

  • Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Khallet Al Furjan (خلة الفرجان).

    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 Tripoli: 2 heavy equipment transporters, 3 armored vehicles, 1 ammunition storage site.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    18
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC070

Incident date

April 24, 2017

Location

سبها‎, Sabha, Libya

Geolocation

27.038804, 14.426567 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to several local and international sources, LNA planes bombed a prison run by the Toubou tribe near Sabha, killing up to seven prisoners and wounding as many as nine more. There was disagreement between sources over how many of the victims were prison guards or civilians.

Al Jazeera put the death count at “four prison guards, including one of the commanders, all of them from Tabu. An unspecified number of other people were wounded.”

However, Reuters reported that “two guards and three prisoners were killed” – with “four more people wounded”.
Almarsad provided more detail on the event, reporting that “an airstrike on a Tebu-run security headquarters and prison in Sebha last night [Arpil 24th] killed at least five and injured nine and has been met with outrage by the local Tebu community.

In addition to three prison inmates and two prison guards killed, the currently unclaimed attack wounded eight other detainees and a guard. It destroyed large parts of the prison and vehicles outside”.

Y net news also put the death toll at five, though it didn’t state the combat status of the victims. The source added that “no one had claimed responsibility for the strike in Sabha, but forces aligned with a U.N.-backed government in Tripoli control a desert air base there that previously came under air attack from rivals allied with eastern commander Khalifa Haftar”.

According to Al Arabiya, in addition to “the deaths of four inmates and one guard”, there were  “more than seventy prisoners wounded” – with the escape of more. Sources said that the identity of the warplane responsible was unclear: “The conflicting parties in the city are exchanging accusations about whether the aircraft belongs to the army (led by Marshal Haftar, a legislator from the House of Representatives) or affiliated with the UN-backed government headed by Fayez Sarraj in Tripoli.”

Al Wasat gave more information on the escapees, reporting that “80 people whose crimes ranged from murder to theft to looting and other crimes escaped detention as a result of the strike”.

Adam Abubaker put the civilian death toll even higher, at seven prisoners plus two guards.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–70
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a prison being struck in the vicinity of Sabha (سبها‎) city, for which the generic coordinates are: 27.038804, 14.426567. 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
    3 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–70
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]