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

Lib2011-049

Incident date

March 24, 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

A mother and her four children were reportedly killed by Gaddafi regime shelling on Misurata.

Al Manara TV noted: “Gaddafi forces on Friday continued to bomb Misurata east of Tripoli, killing one woman and her four children while a doctor at the city hospital on Thursday said 109 martyrs and 1,300 were wounded in a week in the city. ‘There is no electricity or water, and the city is starting to lack everything,’ another witness said.'”

No additional sources are known for this event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • 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 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
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • 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

LC127

Incident date

April 26, 2019

Location

طرابلس‎, Tripoli: Airport road, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.806027, 13.139814 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians were reported killed in an LNA airstrike on Tripoli.

Gahida Altwati tweeted that they were five young people from Janzur killed near the Airport road. She also provided their names.

There is no additional information available at the moment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud Al Ajili Fakar
Age unknown male killed
Essam Al Hashemi Jannat
Age unknown male killed
Khairi Fakar
Age unknown male killed
Ahmed Fathi Alhamrouni
Age unknown male killed
Hammadi Pashaaga
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of the road leading to the airport in Tripoli (طرابلس‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.806027, 13.139814. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of the road leading to the airport in Tripoli (طرابلس‎).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC007

Incident date

December 2, 2014

Location

زوارة, Zuwara, Nuqat al Khums, Libya

Geolocation

32.924798, 12.075283 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and five civilians died and up to 15 more were wounded in an alleged LNA airstrike on a food supply storage depot in Zuwara. Three or four foreign nationals were reportedly included in the death toll.

Fox News provided the most detail on the event, reporting: A Libyan official says airstrikes have hit a foodstuffs warehouse in western Libya, killing four people and injuring 15.

Hafez Moammar, the spokesman for security forces in the Mediterranean city of Zwara, 70 miles (110 kilometres) west of Tripoli, says three of the dead were foreign nationals. He added that a second airstrike hit a chemicals factory.

He said the warplanes were operating under Khalifa Haftar, a former army general who last spring unilaterally led an offensive against Islamist militias in the eastern city of Benghazi. On Oct. 15, Haftar and the elected government joined ranks against Islamist militias. Haftar’s office subsequently said the buildings it struck contained weapons, not food.

According to the Libya Observer, One Libyan truck driver and four African workers were killed in the dignity operation airstrike that hit a food supply warehouse in Zuwara. More than 10 others were also critically injured.

Other sources said that other locations were also struck – though made no mention of civilian harm in these strikes. According to Reuters, a food supply storage area, a fishing port and another unspecified target outside of the city were hit.

RT reported on a strike in a nearby forest, which Libyan air force commander, Brigadier General Saqr al-Jaroushi, referred to as a bombing of a gathering of the Fajr Libyan militias in the Jude Daim forest in Zawya.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–15
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a man being injured following an alleged LNA airstrike in Zwara city (Source: Ean Libya)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    an image shows a man being treated at the medical centre, injured following an alleged LNA airstrike in Zwara city (Source: Ean Libya)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a man, killed following an alleged LNA airstrike in Zwara city (Source: Ean Libya)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a man being injured following an alleged LNA airstrike in Zwara city (Source: Ean Libya)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a man being treated at the medical centre, injured following an alleged LNA airstrike in Zwara city (Source: Ean Libya)
  • Picture of the alleged strike (via Nancy Porsia)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Picture of the aftermath(via Nancy Porsia)
  • Picture of an alleged victim (via Nancy Porsia)
  • Picture of an alleged victim (via Nancy Porsia)
  • Picture of the aftermath (via Libyan™)
  • Picture of the aftermath (via Libyan™)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Zuwara (زوارة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.924798, 12.075283. 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 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–15
  • 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

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

Lib2011-128

Incident date

July 22, 2011

Location

مرسى البريقة, Brega, Al Wahat, Libya

Geolocation

30.411123, 19.570076 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six guards at a concrete pipe factory were reportedly killed in a NATO airstrike on Brega. No further details about the guards were provided, although multiple sources mentioned that three missiles struck the facility.

Reuters reported: “Six guards were killed in an air strike on Friday on a pipeline factory just south of the eastern city of Brega, a Libyan official said.

‘This will be a major setback for future projects and a major problem for maintenance,’ Abdul Hakim al-Shuhaidi, director of the state-run Libyan River Company, which runs the country’s giant irrigation project, told reporters in Tripoli.”

BBC News also quoted Abdul Hakim al-Shuhaidi, who stated the bombings “will represent a major setback for future projects”.

A Youtube video and another Facebook post shows the damage of the bombings, including ruins of buildings and broken concrete pipes.

NATO itself reported hitting “1 Military Storage Facility, 4 Armed Vehicles” near Brega on July 22.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (6 men)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

  • The video shows the results of the NATO bombing on the Brega factory, which produced concrete pipes, colloquially known as the "Great Man Made River" pipes. Video was dated July 23rd, 2011, and uploaded to the Inomine X Youtube channel.
  • Image shows the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows an empty lot, the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows a destroyed concrete pipe, the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows rubble, the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows the the entrance sign of the Brega concrete pipes factory, bombed by NATO. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows an empty building, the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows the inside of a concrete pipe. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.
  • Image shows a truck backhaul and strewn tires, the results of a NATO bombing on the Brega concrete pipes factory. Image taken the Facebook post of a worker at the Al Naher Al Sina’ company, dated December 4, 2015.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a pipeline factory being struck, allegedly in the town of Brega (مرسى البريقة). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Brega are: 30.411123, 19.57007

NATO forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

NATO forces

In the vicinity of Brega: 1 Military Storage Facility, 4 Armed Vehicles

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • (6 men)
  • 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

LC186

Incident date

August 27, 2019

Location

الاصابعة, Asabi'ah, Jabal al Gharbi, Libya

Geolocation

32.516483, 13.167439 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and six civilians allegedly died as a result of a Turkish or GNA airstrike on Gheryan.

Afrigate reported: “Turkish air strikes brought by the Wefaq government bombed Al Asabi’a  on Tuesday, the Karama [LNA] Operations Room said.

The chamber added that the bombing resulted in the martyrdom of four civil servants who were present in their work in the warehouses of the goods.”

Most other sources also referred to the LNA statement, saying that fou civilians died.

Libya Alahrar TV said the strike was carried out by a GNA plane and did not mention civilian harm.

Tk Yahrouq Kl shy wrote that the strike resulted in six deaths but did not say if they were civilians. It added that artillery was used in addition to the airstrike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Asabi’ah (الاصابعة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.516483, 13.167439. 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

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC032

Incident date

June 9, 2016

Location

شركة الجبل, Al Jabal Company, Derna, Libya

Geolocation

32.769444, 22.617222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three and as many as six civilians – most of them children – died in airstrikes on Derna, according to sources on the ground.

LNA reported that its MiG-23 carried out air raids near the Western gates of Derna. While the LNA report didn’t mention civilian casualties, local sources reported between three and five dead and eight injured civilians in Bab Sheha in the western part of the city centre. Alwasat identified three names including two children.

According to Arabi21, “two children and a woman were killed in the city of Derna, east as a result of the bombing by military aircraft belonging to Khalifa Hafter. Others, including children, were wounded.”

Heba Mahmoud put the death toll higher, with “a woman and five children killed and four residential buildings damaged by shelling”.

Wkalat Wady Dynar Alakhbarya joined some other sources in reporting that a middle-aged woman died in addition to children, though no name was given.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

6 years old male Via Alwasat news killed
14 years old male Via Alwasat news killed
16 years old female Via Alwasat news killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 6
  • (2–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A video from the hospital shows the child who was killed following an alleged LNA airstrike in Derna (Source: Al-Ahd media)
  • Another video shows the several strikes conducted in various places in Derna city (Source: Al Nabaa TV)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage shows the funeral of the two victims (Source: al Nabaa TV)
  • A picture shows a civilian house destroyed following an alleged LNA airstrike on Derna (Source: Alwasat news)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a child, killed or injured followed an alleged LNA airstrike on Derna (Source: Alwasat news)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of Al Jabal Company (شركة الجبل), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.769444, 22.617222. 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 – 6
  • (2–3 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Libyan National Army

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-031

Incident date

March 11, 2011

Location

مرسى البريقة, Brega, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

30.411123, 19.570076 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source reported on Twitter that six civilians were killed in an airstrike by the Gaddafi regime on Brega.

Aban Idris said: “News of the martyrdom of 6 by aerial bombardment of Brega.”

Al Jazeera and France24 also reported airstrikes, but it is unclear if these were in the direct vicinity of Brega.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Brega (مرسى البريقة), for which the generic coordinates are: 30.411123, 19.570076. 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 type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]