All Belligerents in Libya, 2012–present

Following the NATO-backed overthrow of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya entered a prolonged period of civil conflict, leading to the fragmentation of the country’s territory between rival forces.

Airwars has documented allegations of civilian harm by a number of military actors in Libya since 2012. Our findings for the 2011 Libya conflict are here.

Airwars estimate of civilian deaths

512 – 747

Locally reported civilian deaths from declared or likely all military actors in Libya actions in Libya for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by the all military actors in Libya. These originate from 542 separate alleged incidents.

78 – 94
children likely killed
38 – 41
women likely killed
876
likely injured
567
named victims

all military actors in Libya estimate of civilian deaths

0

Confirmed civilian deaths, from all military actors in Libya actions in Libya, originating from separate incidents of civilian harm.

0
civilians confirmed injured
Alleged deaths
834 – 1,217
Locally reported civilian deaths from all military actors in Libya actions in Libya.
542 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
512 – 747
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by all military actors in Libya
331 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
112 – 158
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
122 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
210 – 310
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
85 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
2
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
4 seperate alleged incidents
543 incidents
Order results by:
Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

2 April 2019

Incident Code

LC104

Location

Jebel Uweinat, Al Kufrah, Libya
جبل العوينات
Four civilians were reported killed in an airstrike on Jebel Uweinat by an unknown belligerent. While the majority of sources said those killed were combatants, the Libya Observer said they were civilians. It said: "On another level, spokesperson of warlord Khalifa Haftar's self-styled army, Ahmed Al-Mismari denied that the bombing was coordinated with their forces,…

Summary

Published
2 April 2019
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Incident Date

19 March 2019

Incident Code

Lib2011-038

Location

Tripoli, Benghazi, Misurata, Sirte and Al Watyah airbase, Surt, Libya
قاعدة طرابلس وبنغازي ومصراتة وسرت والوطية الجوية
Between 48 and 64 civilians were killed during the first day of NATO airstrikes in Libya, according to Gaddafi regime media. However, these numbers are heavily contested by non-partisan sources. Doualia wrote at the time: "Air strikes on several Libyan cities killed 48 people and wounded 150 in 'civilian areas,' a statement on Libyan state…

Summary

Published
19 March 2011
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Incident Date

17 February 2019

Incident Code

LC103

Location

Murzuq, Murzuq, Libya
مرزق
One man was reportedly killed and two children injured in an LNA airstrike on Murzuq. Arraed wrote: "A source from Murzuq hospital on Sunday reported the arrival of the body of an elderly man killed by LNA bombing, as well as the wounding of two children with shrapnel. The source, who declined to be named,…

Summary

Published
17 February 2019
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Incident Date

3 February 2019

Incident Code

LC102

Location

Murzuq, Murzuq, Libya
مرزق
Between two and seven civilians were reportedly killed in an LNA airstrike near Murzuq. Media Center Sidra wrote: "The remnants of Al-Karama's [LNA] rockets were given to the Sidra Media Center by residents in the outskirts of the town of Murzuq without some explosions, and the fragments spread over houses and buildings. An airstrike in…

Summary

Published
3 February 2019
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Incident Date

2–10 February, 2019

Incident Code

LC101a

Location

Derna, Darnah, Libya
درنة
One woman was reportedly injured by indiscrimiate artillery shelling in the Old City of Derna. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) wrote in its report: "Since 2 February, fighting in the old city of Derna intensified, and reportedly resulted in substantial numbers of civilian casualties. While it remains impossible to…

Summary

Published
2 February 2019
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Incident Date

19 January 2019

Incident Code

LC101

Location

Qasr Bin Gashir, Tarabulus, Libya
قصر بن غشير
The journalist Mohamed Ben Khalifa was reportedly killed in indiscriminate artillery shelling while covering militia clashes in the south of Tripoli. Reuters reported that "Mohamed Ben Khalifa died of a random shell in the Libyan capital while covering the clashes." Al Jazeera added: "Ben Khalifa died while accompanying a militia patrolling the Qaser Bin Ghashir…

Summary

Published
19 January 2019
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