Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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

RS3693

Incident date

May 13, 2019

Location

اللطامنة, Al Latmina, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed and others injured as a result of alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime artillery shelling on Ma’ardas town in Latamna on May 13th, 2019.

Justice Organization reported that “The citizen Muhammad Ali Al-Jada’a was killed by Russian camp’s artillery shelling, west of the town of Ma’rades, in the city of Latamna in the northern Hama countryside.”

Sources blamed Russian forces and/or the Syrian regime for this incident.

No other details are known at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime, Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Muhammad Ali Al-Jada'a was killed by alleged Russian shelling on Ma'ardes in Latamna on May 13th, 2019. (Via Justice Organisation).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime, Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3682

Incident date

May 7, 2019

Location

كفرزيتا, Kafar Zeita, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian died of his injuries four days after alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on Kafar Zeita, Hama governorate, on May 7th, 2019, according to local sources.

Smart News reported that Russian artillery fire on the town of Kafar Zeita, north of Hama, wounded a number of civilians. Step News Agency wrote: “A missile attack from the Russian camp south of Halfaya targeted the town of Kafr Zeita, causing injury to a number of civilians.” Sy-24 also blamed Russia for the artillery strikes.

Syrian Network for Human Rights in a later post reported that one of the wounded civilians died of his injuries on May 11th, but blamed the Syrian regime forces for the shelling on the town. The SNHR identified the victim as Abdul Ghani Badr Al Bakkour.

A report from JisrTV said that Russian forces targeted Kafar Zaita health centre, partially destroying it.

A number of other sources tweeted that the regime was targeting “terrorist organisations in the towns of Hbeit rural Idlib South and Kafar Zaita rural West Hama.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male died on May 11th of his injuries killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Abdul Ghani Badr al Bakkour, allegedly died of injuries sustained when Syrian regime forces fired artillery shells on Kafar Zeita on May 8th (via Syrian Network for Human Rights).
  • The health centre in Kafar Zeita, reportedly hit by a Russian strike on May 7th (via Jisrtv)
  • Translation: "Artillery shelling of the city of Kfar Zeita in the countryside of Hama" (via Mahmood Al Hamwi).

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3641

Incident date

May 1, 2019

Location

المنطار, Al Mentar, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two children were reported wounded when the village of Al-Mentar, near the town of Muhambal in the western suburb of Idlib, was struck by an “aerial bombardment” on the morning of May 1st.

Almanar didn’t mention civilian harm but reported that “Yesterday [May 1st], units of the army [the Assad regime] arrested a number of terrorists and destroyed their homes and mechanisms on the outskirts of the town of Tirmala, in Al-Mentar, Khattab hill in the southern countryside of Idlib, on the outskirts of the villages of Qala’at al-Mideq and in the villages of Zakat, Ankawi and Ja’ata.”

Zaman al Wasl News referred to three civilians wounded in reference to shelling in a number of locations including Al-Mentar, and Hadiabdullah News cited two children wounded in Al-Mentar.

Sources named both Russian forces and the Syrian regime in reporting the incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC125

Incident date

April 25, 2019

Location

قصر بن غشير: مصحة العافية, Qasr Bin Gashir: Al Afia Clinic, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.674533, 13.174899 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed in Qasr Bin Gashir as a result of indiscriminate artillery shelling.

Riyadh Burshan said the civilian was killed in front of the Al Afia clinic.

As Qasr Bin Gashir was under LNA control at the time of the incident, shelling by GNA forces seems likely.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Government of National Accord

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention Al Afia Clinic (مصحة العافية), for which the coordinates are: 32.674533 13.174899.

Government of National Accord Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Government of National Accord
  • Government of National Accord position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Government of National Accord

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3619

Incident date

April 19, 2019

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikoun, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two men were reported wounded when rockets and/or artillery struck the Al Rahman Mosque in Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib, partially destroying the building. Sources reported the use of rocket-propelled grenades.

Smart News Agency reported there were “two wounded in a rocket attack on the city of Khan Sheikun south of Idlib from the Russian forces in the village of Al Qabariya north of Hama.” Edlib Media Center reported that both victims were male.

@SyriaCivilDefe tweeted that Syrian Civil Defence teams inspected the sites in the evening and evacuated the injured to a hospital for treatment.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), Russia launched more than 20 rocket shells on the city. Other sources blamed the Syrian regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male injured
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Al Rahman Mosque in Khan Sheikhoun after it was struck by an alleged missile from the Syrian regime on April 19th (via Syrian Network for Human Rights).
  • The Al Rahman mosque before it was struck by a missile on April 19th (via @abuhuzaifa_).
  • The Al Rahman mosque after it was struck by a missile on April 19th (via @abuhuzaifa_).
  • Shelling of Khan Sheikhoun on April 19th (via @OtmanAlkneter).
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams inspected the sights in Khan Sheikhoun that were struck by missiles on April 19th (via @SyriaCivilDefense).
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams inspected the sights in Khan Sheikhoun that were struck by missiles on April 19th (via @SyriaCivilDefense).
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams inspected the sights in Khan Sheikhoun that were struck by missiles on April 19th (via @SyriaCivilDefense).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

LC120

Incident date

April 19, 2019

Location

مدرسة تحرير ليبيا, Tahrer School, Tripoli, Libya

Geolocation

32.688062, 13.178065 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child was reportedly killed by indiscriminate artillery shelling on Qasr Bin Gashir.

Riyadh Burshan said that Teqwa Abu Bakr Awn died after a shell landed in Qasr Bin Gashir.

Libyan News said it was near the School of Liberation.

Other sources published similar reports.

According to local sources, GNA and LNA were fighting in the area.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Teqwa Abu Bakr Awn
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, Libyan National Army

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the vicinity of the Tahrer School (مدرسة تحرير ليبيا) for which the generic coordinates are: 32.688062, 13.178065. 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

Libyan National Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Libyan National Army
  • Libyan National Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Government of National Accord, Libyan National Army

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3618

Incident date

April 17, 2019

Location

أبو حبّة, Abu Habba, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A number of civilians were killed and wounded when artillery and rockets struck the Al Zohour Primary School and civilian homes in Abu Habba village in Deir Ezzor, partially destroying the school building and fence, according to sources on the ground.

The Macro Media Center reported that one civilian was killed and several children injured. Other local sources said that not one but two civilians were killed in the attack. A total of five to six civilians were reported wounded, including at least one child and a woman, according to Smart News.

According to Smart News, “a doctor, Abdul-Muhsin al-Sourani, said that four [of the wounded civilians] – with light to moderate injuries, were treated to a hospital in the city, where they were given the necessary help”. The source added that “Idlib and northern Hama are under frequent artillery and rocket fire by the regime and Russia.”

Amongst other sources, Smart News blamed the Russian forces, while others such as the Syrian Network for Human Rights claimed the Syrian regime forces were to blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • The remains of the Al Zohour Primary School in Abu Habba after an alleged Russian strike on the building on April 17th (via Syrian Network for Human Rights).
  • According to the reporter in the video, Syrian regime forces struck the town of Abu Habba with 60 missiles, 15 of them struck the Al Zohour Primary School on April 17th (via Orient News).
  • According to the reporter in the video, six people were wounded when Syrian regime forces struck the town of Abu Habba on April 17th (via Orient News).
  • A school in the village of Abu Habba was damaged in alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on April 17th, 2019 (via SNHR).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]