Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Belligerent
Country
Libya
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Belligerent Assessment
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Incident Code

Lib2011-005

Incident date

February 17, 2011

Location

بنغازي‎, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.112582, 20.082151 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On February 17th, multiple sources reported at least 13 and as many as 20 civilian fatalities and up to 200 more injured by Gaddafi security forces in Benghazi, who were said to have fired live rounds on Gamal Abdel Nasser Street.

Al Jazeera reports “there were reports of six deaths in the Benghazi confrontations, where supporters of the Libyan regime in civilian clothes (thugs) fired live bullets at the demonstrators on Jamal Abdel Nasser Street as well as on Amr bin Al-Aas Street in the city center.”

A Facebook post from Ehab Al Shibani later named the 13 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
    13 – 20
  • Civilians reported injured
    40–200
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Images of all the victims, taken from https://www.facebook.com/groups/149258408469329/permalink/405694566159044/
  • Salah El-Din Al-Jahawi, taken from https://www.facebook.com/groups/166805546685121/permalink/474239765941696/
  • Images of all the victims, taken from https://www.facebook.com/145805892249838/photos/a.145806865583074/147381082092319/

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Benghazi (بنغازي‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.112582, 20.082151. 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
    13 – 20
  • Civilians reported injured
    40–200
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-006

Incident date

February 17, 2011

Location

درنة‎, Derna, Libya

Geolocation

32.755841, 22.637778 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On February 17th 2011, between three and six protestors were shot dead by Gaddafi security forces in Derna, with between 15 and 25 additionally wounded, as reported by Al Jazeera and Wiki News.

Al Jazeera reports “Large numbers of demonstrators also went out today in the city of Derna, east of Benghazi, interspersed with burning of headquarters and demanding the overthrow of the Libyan regime.”

Three men were reported killed by Gaddafi in a Facebook post from the National Front for Justice and Equality, with another three reported dead in a Facebook post from Here is Libya.

A video on the “Gaddafi to the dustbin of history” Facebook post shows an attack on the security directorate of in Derna.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–25
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Three men reported killed during the protests in Derna, taken from https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=498740801785&set=gm.111473818929834
  • Death notice for six victims, taken from https://www.facebook.com/447016525319646/photos/a.447927638561868/467281736626458/

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Derna (درنة‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.755841, 22.637778. 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
    3 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–25
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-007

Incident date

February 17, 2011

Location

اجدابيا, Ajdabiya, Al Wahat, Libya

Geolocation

30.760665, 20.220516 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On February 17th, 2011, between four and ten people were killed as a result of clashes between demonstrators and Gaddafi Revolutionary Guards in Ajdabiya. Both Wiki news and Al Jazeera confirmed the deaths. A student was reported among the dead as well.

Al Jazeera reports “journalist Mansour Ati told Al-Jazeera Net that four people were killed and wounded in clashes between demonstrators and Revolutionary Guards, after the protesters managed to burn down government buildings, which are the secretariat of the Popular Congress, Internal Security, the Revolutionary Mathaba, and the Revolutionary Guidance headquarters.”.

Various other tweets reported varying death counts, between four and ten deaths.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 10
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ajdabiya (اجدابيا), for which the generic coordinates are: 30.760665, 20.220516. 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
    4 – 10
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-003

Incident date

February 15, 2011

Location

شارع العروبة, Al Orouba Street, Bayda, Libya

Geolocation

32.112582, 20.082151 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven civilian were allegedly killed and one more injured by Gaddafi forces during protests in Al Bayda.

Al Jazera said: “The number of martyrs in Al-Bayda, east of Benghazi, increased to 7, and the security forces injured a 13-year-old child in the leg with rubber bullets.”

Amnesty International wrote: “In al-Bayda, a protester and a bystander were killed on 16 February, a day prior to the planned “Day of Rage”, during a demonstration against the arrest of activists (see Chapter 1). The protester was Sa’ad Hamed Salah al-Yamani, a 20-year-old student. His father told Amnesty International: ‘He asked for me for permission to go to the peaceful demonstration. He went out at about 6.30pm and at about 7.45pm his best friend got a call to go to the hospital and when he went there he found Sa’ad dead.’ Sa’ad’s friend Hazem Ahmed Mohammed al-Faidi, who was with Sa’ad when he was killed and who was himself shot, told Amnesty International: ‘We went for a peaceful demonstration. We walked past the Commercial Bank, where the security forces threw tear gas, and went on to the ISA building to call for the release of the people arrested the previous day. We were outside the main door, at the back of ‘Uruba Street, by the market. They shot in the air from the guard room on the ground floor and then shot live bullets. I was shot in the right flank and in the right arm. Sa’ad was standing two or three metres from me and was shot immediately after me; he was shot in the face and collapsed. He died immediately.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • 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
    Other

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Khaled Khanfar and Sa'ed Hamad Al Yamani, allegedly killed by Gaddafi forces in Benghazi on February 15h, 2011 (via Walled Bin Amir)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Al Ouruba or Al Abraq street (شارع العروبة) in the city of  Al Bayda (البيضاء), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.112582, 20.082151. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the Al Ouruba or Al Abraq street (شارع العروبة) in the city of  Al Bayda (البيضاء).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Gaddafi Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Gaddafi Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • 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
    Other

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-001

Incident date

February 15, 2011

Location

بنغازي‎, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.112582, 20.082151 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In one of the first mass casualty events of the 2011 Libya uprising,  Amnesty International reported 59 civilians injured on February 15th as a result of demonstrations in Benghazi against Gaddafi forces. The demonstrations lasted until the end of February 16th.

Amnesty International stated that “protesters [were] reportedly assaulted by members of the police, riot police (Central Security), the People’s Leadership and Revolutionary Committees. According to al-Jala’a Hospital records and testimonies of victims and witnesses, in the two days 59 protesters were treated for injuries not caused by firearms.”

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    59
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Benghazi (بنغازي‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.112582, 20.082151. 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
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    59
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-002

Incident date

February 15, 2011

Location

بنغازي‎, Benghazi, Libya

Geolocation

32.112582, 20.082151 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On February 16th, between 6:30 and 7:45 PM local time, multiple sources reported one death and multiple injuries in Benghazi after the breakup by security forces of a sit-in.

The reported death was of Khaled al-Naji ‘Abderrazeq Khanfar, a 22 year old student who was shot by Gaddafi security forces.

Amnesty quotes the father of Khaled, “We had closed the shop and gone home and I told him not to go out but he wanted to go to check as our shop is right next to the ISA building where there was the demonstration. He went out at about 7.30pm to 8pm and less than an hour later we received a call that he had been killed. He was shot in the chest.”

Reuters, DW Arabic, and various Twitter reports confirmed additional injuries.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    14–38
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • 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
    Other

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Benghazi (بنغازي‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.112582, 20.082151. 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
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    14–38
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • 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
    Other

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-004

Incident date

February 15, 2011

Location

البيضان, Bayda, Jabal al Akhdar, Libya

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

On February 17th, 2011, between 5:30pm and 6:00pm local time, the deaths of between three and 14 civilians were reported killed by Gaddafi forces in Bayda.

Ibm tweeted, quoting Al Jazeera: “Three demonstrators were killed and four wounded by Libyan security bullets in Al-Bayda city, east of Benghazi.”

@monakareem said: “Security forces kill 4 more protesters after a humanitarian organization in Geneva said snipers from rooftops killed 13 protesters in Al-Bayda city – AFP.”

Amnesty International wrote about the incident: “Members of the security and armed forces chased and shot at protesters – those who threw stones, as well as those who did nothing or who were running away. Seventeen protesters were killed in al-Bayda that day and scores were wounded.”

It quoted the father of one of the victims saying: “‘At about 4.15pm… we heard shooting in the neighbourhood, behind ‘Uruba Street and we heard the imam of the Green Mosque speaking to the soldiers with a loudspeaker… There were bullets, plastic bullets and live bullets, and youths were closing the streets with [makeshift barricades]. Safwan was at home and he called his little brother who was on the balcony to go inside. A bit later he went downstairs and stood with a neighbour on the corner opposite the house. It was quiet. My other children wanted to go downstairs and I went with them and took them to the supermarket by car and while there my cousin called me to go to the hospital… People were holding up and parading the bodies of people who had been shot dead and I did not realize that one of them was Safwan. He was shot in the head as he stood by the door of the mosque.’”

Another eyewitness told the NGO: “‘We were at the Green Mosque and when we tried to leave after prayer the area was surrounded by security forces, soldiers in green and blue uniforms. They had weapons for plastic bullets and for real bullets. We stayed in the mosque for about an hour unable to leave and then some tried to leave, going forward and coming back because of the security forces ahead. Safwan was by the door of the mosque when he was shot dead at about 5.30pm-6pm.”

Twitlonger said that 14 young men were killed on that day.

The incident occured between 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 14
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–50
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • 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
    Other

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Safwan Ramadhan ‘Atiya ‘Ali, allegedly killed by Gaddafi forces in Bayda on February 15th, 2011 (via Free Zawi)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bayda (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.

Gaddafi Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Gaddafi Forces
  • Gaddafi Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 14
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–50
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • 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
    Other

Sources (13) [ collapse]