All Belligerents in Libya, 2011

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
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Libya
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Incident Code

Lib2011-030

Incident date

March 6, 2011

Location

راس لانوف‎ , Ras Lanuf, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

30.517778, 18.498889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three people were reported dead in a Gaddafi regime airstrike on Ras Lanuf. The source was not clear on whether they were civilians or combatants.

Al Jazeera posted on Twitter: “Three dead in an air strike on Ras Lanuf”

The Hundi, however, reported no casualties from the strike: “Forces loyal to Muammar Qadhafi have launched an airstrike against a rebel position in a key oil port. There were no casualties in the Monday morning attack in Ras Lanouf.”

Other sources also only mentioned an airstrike but no casualties.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Ras Lanuf (راس نالوف ), for which the generic coordinates are: 30.517778,18.498889. 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
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-029

Incident date

March 5, 2011

Location

الزاوية, Zawiya, Libya

Geolocation

32.759709, 12.732495 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March the 5th 2011, Gaddafi forces launched an air and naval bombardment on the city of Zawiya, resulting in the death and the injury of civilians. The rebels fought back and killed some Gaddafi soldiers and also African mercenaries.

According to Sayed Tawfik, Facebook post, said that “there was an air and sea bombardment in Libya on civilian targets in the city of Zawia and eyewitnesses from the field confirmed the destruction of tanks and that mercenaries soldiers were killed on this incident.”

@alalikhalid reported that “thirty people were killed, most of them civilians, in the fight in the Libyan city of Zawiya.”

According to Aljazeera, “a spokesman for the rebels in the city of Zawiya said that the Gaddafi Brigades launched a new attack and cordoned off the city from all sides, cut off phone calls, and violently bombed it from land and air for the second day in a row.

Journalist Ali Al-Mazdawi told Al-Jazeera that the outcome of the battles in Al-Zawiyah was 16 martyrs and 30 wounded.

CMS Aawsat reported that in the city of Zawya, “witnesses said the sound of artillery shelling and military helicopters shook the city, in an attempt by the forces of Gaddafi led by his son Khamis to control the city. The sources said all services were cut off from the city, the most important of which are medical services, water, electricity and telephones. The indiscriminate bombing left dozens of dead and wounded, causing unprecedented damage to the city’s history. The sources said leaders of the rebels «February 17» that there are bodies in the streets can not be reached, and that there are dozens of wounded who are killed by the forces of Gaddafi.”

Many buildings were set on fire in several buildings, including government buildings and a mosque. According to an eyewitness as a doctor at the medical centre “The Qaddafi forces attacked the medical centre, seized ambulances and killed three wounded people in the operating room.”

It was also added in CMS Aawsat that “the rebels killed about 37 Gaddafi soldiers, 13 African mercenaries.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery, Naval bombardment
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16 – 30
  • (3 undetermined)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • Causes of injury / death
    Denial of access to/destruction of objects indispensable to survival, 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
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Belligerents reported killed
    50

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Zawiya (الزاوية‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.759709, 12.732495. 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, Naval bombardment
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16 – 30
  • (3 undetermined)
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • Causes of injury / death
    Denial of access to/destruction of objects indispensable to survival, 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
  • Suspected target
    Libyan rebel forces
  • Belligerents reported killed
    50

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-028

Incident date

March 4, 2011

Location

الرجمة, Al Rajma, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.071284, 20.342587 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to the Daily Telegraph, 19 civilians were killed after explosions in a munitions depot in Ar Rajma near Benghazi. It is unclear whether the incident was caused by an airstrike by the Gaddafi regime.

The Telegraph wrote at the time: “The cause of the explosions was not immediately clear, although most local residents ruled out an air strike by forces loyal to Libyan leader Col Gaddafi in an intensifying battle with eastern rebels fighting for his ouster.”

It added the following on the number of victims: “Doctor Mustafa Saleh al-Orfali said 17 people had been killed and another hospital official registered 26 wounded. Doctor Idriss Ghazali said two dead had been brought to the Houari hospital and 14 others had been wounded after witnesses reported the explosions at the Al-Rajma military base, southeast of Benghazi.”

In addition, the newspaper noted that “Walid Werfelly, 32, whose family lives in the Al-Rajma area said he saw two women dead at another hospital, after their poorly built homes collapsed from the force of the blast.”

Iyad el-Baghdadi said on Twitter: “Aljazeera now airing first footage from site of explosion. They say it was an air strike.”

The incident occured at 18:30:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the a base in the village of Al Rajma (الجغبوب), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.071284, 20.342587. 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
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    19
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-027

Incident date

March 3, 2011

Location

راس لانوف, Ras Lanuf, Sirte, Libya

Geolocation

30.517778, 18.498889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On March the 3rd 2011, Gaddafi forces allegedly launched several airstrikes on Ras Lanuf (the oil crescent), in the vicinity of Brega that resulted, according to a single surviving source, in six civilians killed and 12 injured, who were said to be accompanying an Egyptian relief convey.

Several sources referred to Gaddafi forces being behind these strikes.

No further information is currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Ras Lanuf (راس لانوف), for which the generic coordinates are: 30.517778, 18.498889. 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-026

Incident date

March 2, 2011

Location

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

Four civilians were reported killed and ten more wounded in an airstrike by the Gaddafi regime in Brega.

Only one source, Naji Alive, reported civilians casualties, via Twitter: “Four killed and 10 injured in airstrikes targeting Brega city west of Benghazi.”

Other sources, such as NPR, only reported airstrikes by the regime: “‘Huge plumes of smoke rose into the air’ after the warplanes attacked, Garcia-Navarro reported from Brega. She said it appeared that Gadhafi was ‘pulling out all the stops’ to regain large swaths of opposition-controlled eastern Libya.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    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
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Brega (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 status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • Civilians reported injured
    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
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-024

Incident date

February 26, 2011

Location

بين صبراتة وسرمان, Between Sabratha and Sarman, Zawiya, Libya

Geolocation

32.762800, 12.503712 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On February 21st, 2011, between 12 and 24 civilians were reported injured by Gaddafi forces between Sarman and Sibrata. Al Jazeera reported Reuters quoting the Libyan newspaper Quirna.

Al Jazeera reports “Reuters quoted a correspondent for the Libyan newspaper Qurina as saying that Gaddafi’s al-Khuwailidi al-Hamidi Brigade fired randomly in the area without specifying the circumstances of the shooting or the identity of the victims.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the area in between the cities of Sabratha (صبراتة) and Sarman (سرمان). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for a middle point between these two cities are: 32.762800, 12.503712.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-025

Incident date

February 26, 2011

Location

ميدان الشهداء, Martyrs' Square, Al Zawiya, Libya

Geolocation

32.752250, 12.718912 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On February 26th, 2011, 50 civilians were reported killed and another 50 wounded as a result of heavy artillery shelling on the city of al-Zawiya by Gaddafi forces. Thirty of the wounded were taken to another location, though no other information was provided about casualties.

Al-Jazeera was the only source to report on the strike, quoting a local resident as stating that “mercenaries loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi killed at least 50 civilians in heavy artillery shelling during violent clashes last night with opponents of the regime, while about 50 others were wounded and 30 people were taken to an unknown destination.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    50
  • Civilians reported injured
    50
  • 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
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Martyrs’ Square (ميدان الشهداء ) being struck in the city of Zawiya (الزاوية‎), for which the general coordinates are: 32.752250, 12.718912. 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
    50
  • Civilians reported injured
    50
  • 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
    Libyan rebel forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-022

Incident date

February 25, 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

On February 25th, 2011, five civilians were reported killed and between 12 and 24 injured as a result of Gaddafi forces in Tripoli. @Globe_info reported the casualties on Twitter.

@Globe_info states “The Zawia Street Hospital in Tripoli is now receiving five martyrs and dozens of wounded, some of them in danger.”

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
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

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
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]