Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
Libya
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Incident Code

LC328

Incident date

March 27, 2020

Location

بوقرين, Abugrein, Misurata, Libya

Geolocation

31.445278, 15.25443 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two paramedics were allegedly injured by LNA shelling on Abugrein.

Libya Alahrar TV said: “Urgent: Media Adviser to the Ministry of Health, Lamine Al-Hashemi: Two paramedics were wounded and an ambulance was destroyed in the Abugrein area due to shelling of Haftar militias”

The Libya Observer wrote: “The Crisis and Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Health has condemned in its strongest terms the targeting of a medical team on Friday in the Abu Qurain area near Sirte.

The attack resulted in the injury of several paramedics and destroyed an ambulance, according to the committee, describing it as ‘an immoral attack’.

The head of the Crisis and Emergency Committee at the Ministry of Health, Fawzi Onis, stressed that such offensives, which violate all domestic and international laws will be added to the record of attacks on the health sector and its workers since the start of the aggression against Tripoli.

‘These actions put medical staff and paramedics at risk and adds to the suffering of the sick and the injured,’ Onis explained.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    Libyan National Army

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Ambulance allegedly damaged by LNA shelling on Abugrein on March 27th, 2020 (via Burkan Al Ghadab)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Abugrein (بوقرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.445278, 15.25443. 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
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
    Libyan National Army

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC358

Incident date

April 19, 2020

Location

بوابة الجبس, Jabas gate, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.831739, 13.130089 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reportedly killed after shells by an unknown belligerent were fired on a building and a car in the Al Jabas gate area in Janzur on April 19th, 2020, according to Al Wasat.

Al Wasat reported that “the National Safety Authority announced the death of a person as a result of shells falling on a building and a car in the Al Jabas area in the capital, Tripoli, noting that a family of six people had been rescued at the site of the accident.”

Currently, further information is unavailable to Airwars.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Jabas Gate (بوابة الجبس), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.831739, 13.130089. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC387

Incident date

May 9, 2020

Location

صلاح الدين, Salaheddin, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.846389, 13.161667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman was alegedly killed and three civilians were injured by artillery shelling on the Salaheddin neighbourhood of Tripoli.

The Field Medicine and Support Center listed the victim and said: “The ambulance team at the Salaheddin field hospital of the Field Medicine and Support Center assisted the family of Muammar Abdel Salam Shaaban at dawn today, Sunday 10/5/2020, from the Salahuddin area, after random shells landed on their house.”

Local reports of fighting point at the GNA or LNA as the culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Fatima Faraj Hammad
53 years old female killed
Muammar Abdul Salam Sha`ban
56 years old male shrapnel in both legs injured
Sarah Muammar Sha'ban
20 years old female injured
Hajar Muammar Sha'ban
33 years old female left arm injury injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, Libyan National Army
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Salaheddin (صلاح الدين), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.846389, 13.161667. 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 Salaheddin (صلاح الدين).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

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 status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, Libyan National Army
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC419

Incident date

June 10, 2020

Location

الساعدية, Al Sa'adeh, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.889481, 13.180569 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Libya Al Ahrar reported that “the remains of a citizen were found in a civilian car, likely hit by a missile attack in the Al Sa’adeh area by the Haftar militia at the beginning of its aggression on the capital.”

Also Burkan Al Ghadab Operation page posted the news saying that “Al-Jafara Security Directorate members find the remains of a civilian in a civilian car that has traces of missile shelling in Al Sa’adeh area, according to eyewitness accounts from the people of the region that the car was bombed by Haftar’s aircraft at the beginning of its militia’s aggression on the capital Tripoli.”

The date of the incident and other details are not available at the moment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • The vehicle were human remains of a civilian were found in Al Sa’idiya in Tripoli on June 10th, 2020 (via Libya Al Ahrar).
  • The vehicle were human remains of a civilian were found in Al Sa’idiya in Tripoli on June 10th, 2020 (via Libya Al Ahrar).
  • The vehicle were human remains of a civilian were found in Al Sa’idiya in Tripoli on June 10th, 2020 (via Libya Al Ahrar).
  • The vehicle were human remains of a civilian were found in Al Sa’idiya in Tripoli on June 10th, 2020 (via Libya Al Ahrar).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Sa’adeh (الساعدية), possibly in vicinity of the Al Sa’adeh Mosque (مسجد الساعدية). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for the mosque are: 32.889481, 13.180569.

Libyan National Army Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-176

Incident date

September 23, 2011

Location

مسكن مصطفى ناجي المرابط, Gidwar family residence, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.104167, 16.716944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were allegedly killed and up to four more injured by a NATO airstrike on the Ghardabiya area of Sirte.

A Human Rights Watch investigation found: “On September 23, 2011, around 4 p.m., NATO struck a new house on a farm belonging to the Gidwar family in Gurdabiya, about 20 kilometers east of Sirte. More than a dozen members of the extended family had congregated there after their homes in central Sirte were shelled in fighting, family members said. The strike killed three people: an elderly man and two girls, aged 8 and 10. Three children and a woman were wounded, including a four-year-old who reportedly lost an eye and a 15-year-old who lost his left leg below the knee.

Human Rights Watch visited the house on February 6, 2012 and found no evidence of military activity except one green uniform loosely packed in the rubble and two 14.5 mm spent cartridges on the west side of the house. A family member said he did not know how the uniform or cartridges got there. Other material might have been removed prior to the visit. The strike grazed the northeast corner of the house, causing a crater just outside the building. Most of the house was standing but the floor and kitchen were damaged. Inside the house, Human Rights Watch found remnants of a GBU-12 laser guided bomb, suggesting that is what NATO used.”

The NGO added: “According to two witnesses, the two girls who were killed, Sajida and Esra, were sitting outside with 15-year-old Abdulhamid at the time of the strike. The elderly man who died, Omar Salem Omar Gidwar, 67, a businessman in Sirte, was in the bedroom. Human Rights Watch obtained copies of death reports for all three people.

Abdulhamid was hospitalized for two months for his left leg, which Human Rights Watch saw was amputated below the knee. He was given a prosthetic and walks with a slight limp. He recalled the moment the missile hit the house:

‘I was sitting with my nieces just outside the house on the porch steps… . My sister Afaf stood up outside and came towards us. She said there was a loud sound and shelling or a strike. She heard a missile coming towards us. I didn’t see anything. [The girls] had been singing for 15 minutes, and then the strike happened. After the strike, my nieces were thrown away from me. One was on my right side and one was in front of me. The smoke was all over the place. There was dust and smoke. I felt suffocated. I couldn’t breathe easily. I fainted. I can’t remember much after that.'”

Mustafa Al Fitouri named three victims without mentioning injured casualties.

Stories Sirte and Zangetna Ahlamontada published condolence pages for the victims, saying three were killed and three injured.

NATO on that day reported striking “1 Ammunition Storage Facility, 1 Anti Aircraft Gun, 1 Command and Control Node, 2 Armed Vehicles” near Sirte.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Sajida Salem Omar Gidwar
8 years old female killed
Esra Salem Omar Gidwar
10 years old female killed
Omar Salem Omar Gidwar
67 years old male killed
Abdulhamid
15 years old male injured
Afaf Salem
Age unknown male injured
Omar Salem Omar Salem Qadawar
4 years old male injured

The victims were named as:

Sajida Salem Omar Gidwar
8 years old female killed
Esra Salem Omar Gidwar
10 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Members of the Gidwar family, allegedly killed in a NATO airstrike on Sirte on September 23rd, 2011 (via Sirte Stories)
  • Esra and Sajida Gidwar, allegedly killed in a NATO airstrike on Sirte on September 23rd, 2011 (via We Martyr Muammar Gaddafi)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the house of the Gidwar family (مسكن مصطفى ناجي المرابط) being struck, in the Al Gurdabiya area (القرضابية), the exact location of which has been published by Human Rights Watch. The exact coordinates are: 31.104167, 16.716944.

  • Reports of the incident mention the house of the Gidwar family (مسكن مصطفى ناجي المرابط) being struck, in the Al Gurdabiya area (القرضابية).

    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 Ammunition Storage Facility, 1 Anti Aircraft Gun, 1 Command and Control Node, 2 Armed Vehicles.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-033

Incident date

March 14, 2011

Location

زوراة, Zawara, Libya

Geolocation

32.934568, 12.080343 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March 14th 2011, Gaddafi forces reportedly bombed the city of Zuwara for several hours with airstrikes and artillery shelling. During the capture of the city, it was reported by a single source that one civilian was killed and seven wounded.

Al Jazeera said: “Libyan sources had announced earlier, that one person was killed and seven others were wounded in the bombing of homes east of Zuwara.”

There is currently no further information available on this event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Zawara (زوراة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.934568, 12.080343. 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
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-065

Incident date

April 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 five civilians were allegedly killed by Gaddafi forces shelling of Misurata.

Al Jazeera said: “A spokesman for the Libyan revolutionaries in the western city of Misurata said that the Libyan Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s brigades continued to bombard the city they besieged on Monday, killing five people and wounding more than twenty others. Meanwhile, a cautious calm prevailed in the east of the country after the rebels regained the city of Ajdabiya and began their march towards Brega.”

The source added: “A spokesman for the rebels said that the Gaddafi Brigades had, for the first time, used Russian-made Grad missiles – fired by multi-barreled launchers loaded on small trucks – on several targets in the city, especially an iron factory.”

UNICEF also noted: “The UN Children’s Fund said it had verified that children as young as 9 months have been killed in Misrata, with at least 20 child deaths and many more injuries, due to shrapnel from mortars and tanks, and bullet wounds. Almost all child deaths have occurred in the past 20 days, with a majority of child victims below 10 years of age.”

Airwars recorded eight child deaths from other Misurata events over the previous 20 days. A further 12 are summarised in this incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (12 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    21–22
  • 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

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
    17
  • (12 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    21–22
  • 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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-010

Incident date

February 18, 2011

Location

البيضان, Al Bayda, Al Wahat, Libya

Geolocation

32.759849, 21.752794 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On February 18th, 2011, 35 protestors were shot dead in al-Bayda, reported by multiple sources.

Al-Jazeera reports “In Al-Bayda, near Benghazi, human rights organizations and opposition websites reported at least 14 dead, while other sources told Al-Jazeera Net of 35 dead.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14 – 35
  • Civilians reported injured
    24–36
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Baydaa (البيضاء), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.759849, 21.752794. 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
    14 – 35
  • Civilians reported injured
    24–36
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (3) [ collapse]