All Belligerents in Libya, 2011

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

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

Incident Code

LC005

Incident date

August 11, 2014

Location

ميناء درنه, Derna Port, Derna, Libya

Geolocation

32.763333, 22.654722 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local media, up to 10 civilians, including three children, were reported injured following an alleged LNA airstrike in the port area.

According to Arab Organization for Human Rights Libya, the apartment belonging to the Tamer Al Ergig family was struck. The wife was severely injured in the leg, while the children Aya and Mohammed were injured by shrapnel and burns in the face and body.

On August 11th, the source Elle.Horreya reported that 10 people were reportedly injured in a Heftar airstrike on Derna today – three of them are children.

Mohamed Eljarh added that while no previous airstrikes in and around Derna resulted in civilian injuries, this time three children were among those wounded. The source added that at least two homes in the port neighbourhood were hit, leading to the injury of several civilians.

Additionally, Mussa Mahmud said that Libyan air forces targeted small boats in the city’s port.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Child female via AOHR-LY injured
Child male via AOHR-LY injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–10
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of the strike (via Elle.Horreyra)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows Aya, injured followed an alleged LNA airstrike on her house in Derna city (source: Downtown FB page)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows Mohammed, injured followed an alleged LNA airstrike on her house in Derna city (source: Downtown FB page)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Elle.Horreyra)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Elle.Horreyra)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Elle.Horreyra)
  • Aftermath of the strike (via Elle.Horreyra)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Derna Port (ميناء درنه), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.763333, 22.654722. 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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–10
  • 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

LC004a

Incident date

August 6, 2014

Location

قنفودة, Ganfouda, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.010556, 20.006389 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to many local sources, one child was reported killed in an alleged LNA airstrike on the Ganfouda neighbourhood of Benghazi.

Alwasat wrote: The house of the brother of MP Amal Muhammad Baiou was shelled in the Ganfouda area, killing Hassan Salah Mohammed Baiou and the house completely collapsed.

His family announced that the funeral would take place in the family’s home.

Operation Martyr Abdel-Moneim also reported his death and posted a picture of the dead body on Facebook.

Mohamed Eldarsi only posted a general tweet about airstrikes on Benghazi saying civilians died” because of them.

Other sources only reported airstrikes in various areas of Benghazi without mentioning civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child male via Operation Martyr Abdel-Moneim fishing "al Sid" killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: Image of the body of Hassan Salah Baiou (source: @Libya.Rebels.17F1)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of 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.

  • Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Ganfouda (قنفودة).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

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)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC004

Incident date

June 21, 2014

Location

ميناء منطقة رأس الهلال, Ras al Helal Port, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.9106258, 22.1705678 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that the LNA targeted one or two boats off the coast of Ras al Helal. The boat was said to have been completely destroyed and five civilians injured.

According to Libya News, five civilians were wounded, ranging from medium to light injuries, following an aerial bombardment of a marine boat in Ras al Helal, west of Derna. The attack completely destroyed the boat. The wounded were taken to Al Huraish Hospital in the city. A medical source confirmed that the civilians were in a stable condition and that some of them had left the hospital.

Africa Gate News reported that a Libyan air force plane bombed two navigational craft at the port of Ras al Helal (30 km from Derna) carrying arms and ammunition for extremist groups in Benghazi – though this source made no mention of civilian casualties.

However, the source MarBu3tLiByA also reported that five people were wounded in an airstrike which targeted a boat.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports on the incident mention the Ras al Helal Port ( ميناء منطقة رأس الهلال) for which the generic coordinates are: 32.9106258,22.1705678

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC003a

Incident date

June 2, 2014

Location

معمل أسمنت بنغازي, Benghazi Cement Factory, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.004722, 20.134444 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and five civilians were reported killed in an alleged LNA airstrike on the cement factory in Benghazi.

Almasry Alyoum wrote: An Egyptian worker named, 35-years-old, from the village of Habalsa, a member of the Al Qusiya centre in Assiut, was killed on Monday afternoon in a bombing of a cement factory in Benghazi, Libya.

The sources added that “the bombing caused the death of five, including the Egyptian worker”, pointing out that “the body of the dead will reach the village of Habalsa, Tuesday, to his funeral to the last”

Assiut Facetook only reported the death of Mansur Abu Sada Jalal as a result of the airstrike.

Other sources mentioned LNA airstrikes in Benghazi but didn’t report civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

35 years old male Via Al Masry Alyoum killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • An image shows damages reached out a civilian house in Benghazi followed an alleged LNA airstrike in Benghazi (source: @majjjedomar)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Benghazi Cement Factory (معمل أسمنت بنغازي), for which the coordinates are: 32.004722, 20.134444. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the Benghazi Cement Factory (معمل أسمنت بنغازي), for which the coordinates are: 32.004722, 20.134444.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

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 – 5
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC003

Incident date

June 1, 2014

Location

قسم الهندسة الميكانيكية, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.050556, 20.052222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One or three civilians were wounded in three alleged LNA airstrikes in Benghazi, local media reported.

Sources reported that strikes hit the following locations:

Palace of the Crown in the Garyounis area.
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering – previously called the Naji Infunas Comprehensive Institute.
The February 17 camp in Qawarsheh
GNA 204 battalion in Al Rahba

Civilian casualties, however, were only reported in the strike on the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

According to Alalam “fighter jets in the air force of the army’s dissident brigade belonging to Khalifa Haftar carried out three air raids on targets of the rebel battalions in the eastern city of Benghazi on Sunday, but two raids missed their targets and hit civilian sites, injuring two people.

C-5 missiles fell on the building of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Technology (Naji Infunas Comprehensive Comprehensive Institute) and destroyed classrooms and computer labs in part, in addition to destroying the headquarters of the training workshops in the college completely. A member of the administrative staff of the Institute and one of his bodyguards were injured by fragments of rockets. They were taken to hospital for treatment.

Agdebia News also reported that the strike on the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering resulted in injury to a civilian, reportedly “a Bangladeshi citizen”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • A picture shows the moment of an airstrike carried out at Benghazi University (Source: Workers at Faculty of Engineering, Benghazi University)
  • An image shows a distraction at Benghazi university (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering) followed an airstrike (source: Alalam news)
  • A picture shows the moment of the second airstrike conducted at the university of Benghazi (source: Alwasat)
  • An image shows the third airstrike that conducted at university of Benghazi (source: URGENT Libya is in danger FB page)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Department of Mechanical Engineering (قسم الهندسة الميكانيكية) for which the coordinates are: 32.050556, 20.052222.  Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the Department of Mechanical Engineering (قسم الهندسة الميكانيكية) for which the coordinates are: 32.050556, 20.052222.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC002

Incident date

January 19, 2014

Location

قويرة المال, Qweira al Mal, Sabha, Libya

Geolocation

27.181167, 14.533500 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children were reportedly killed in an air or artillery strike in Sabha in the south of Libya.

A pro-Gaddafi page on Facebook identified the victims as the 14-year-old and a 17-years-old, and another victim at 14 years old, who lost his leg. It added that they were killed in the Hey al Hijara neighbourhood. Another child was reportedly injured.

Libya Sky reported the location of the strike as Qweira al Mal gate at the northern entrance to the city of Sabha (Jebel Ali region) on Sunday, targeting a gathering of armed groups outside.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

14 years old male Via @against.theday17inLibyan killed
17 years old male Via @against.theday17inLibyan killed
14 years old male Via @against.theday17inLibyan injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    General National Congress (GNC)

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Qweira al Mal gate (قويرة المال) for which the coordinates are: 27.181167, 14.533500.  Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

General National Congress (GNC) Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    General National Congress (GNC)
  • General National Congress (GNC) position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    General National Congress (GNC)

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC001

Incident date

August 11, 2013

Location

الظهي, Al Dahir, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

31.200556, 16.428333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Wissam Salem reported on Twitter that four people were killed and 15 more injured in an airstrike near Sirte. Salem didn’t elaborate if the victims were civilians or combattants.

However, other sources claimed that the casualties resulted either from a car bomb or mortars.

Wady Dynar reported that the explosions heard in Al Dahir in the outskirts of Sirte were mortar shells and not airstrikes.

Libyans reported that the explosions were caused by a car bomb.

A pro Gaddafi Facebook page claimed the strikes were conducted by the US near the Wadan project.

News_yemen on Twitter also reported the incident as a US airstrike on Ansar al-Sharia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the neighbourhood of Al Dahir (الظهي), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.200556, 16.428333. 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 Al Dahir (الظهي).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    15
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-217

Incident date

December 14, 2011

Location

طرابلس‎, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.886602, 13.190912 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One man was killed in Tripoli by rebel forces after the rebels tried to confiscate his car and he refused. According to UN Report Source Page 82, the rebels had approached a member of the Tripoli brigade to try to confiscate their car, claiming it was government property, but left after negotiations without the car. Later, when the Tripoli brigade member was driving the vehicle, he was ambushed by the rebels and they fatally shot him. Three of the attackers were arrested and charged with murder while the others escaped.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man1 other protected person)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Tripoli (طرابلس‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.886602, 13.190912. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man1 other protected person)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]