Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

Lib2011-083

Incident date

April 30, 2011

Location

مصراتة, MIsrata, Misrata, Libya

Geolocation

32.374457, 15.087794 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On April 30th, 2011, Gaddafi forces shelling of Misrata led to the reported killing of two people and left 17 others injured.

According to Al Jazeera, “A number of Libyan civilians and rebels were killed and wounded as a result of the continued bombardment by Gaddafi Brigades of the city of Misurata with rockets and mortars. Some of the injured were taken to Al Mahjoub clinic outside Misrata, and some of the injured lost their limbs. A medical source at the main city hospital explained to the island that the bombing had left two dead and 17 wounded.

Al Jazeera is the only known public source now available, and it remains unclear how many deaths and injuries were of civilians or rebels.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–6
  • 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, Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–17

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
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–6
  • 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, Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–17

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-080

Incident date

April 29, 2011

Location

الغيران, Ghiran, Misurata, Libya

Geolocation

32.350541, 15.032818 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to six civilians were reported injured by shelling from Gaddafi regime forces in Ghiran near Misurata.

A video posted by Ismail Abdulla shows various civilians being treated in hospital for injuries said to have been sustained from the shelling.

There is currently no further known public information available relating to 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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–6
  • 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, Other, Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The video showing the victims of the alleged attack

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Ghiran (الغيران), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.350541, 15.032818. 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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–6
  • 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, Other, Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-077

Incident date

April 25, 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

On April 25th, 2011, Gaddafi forces shelled Misurata at dawn, firing over 40 rockets.

Al Jazeera reported that 12 civilians were killed in the attack and a further 57 injured , according to a rebel spokesman.

Airwars has to date been unable to identify additional sources in relation to this event.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • Civilians reported injured
    57
  • 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, Other

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
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • Civilians reported injured
    57
  • 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, Other

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-078

Incident date

April 25, 2011

Location

الزنتان, Al Zintan, Jabal Al Gharbi, Libya

Geolocation

31.930396, 12.250838 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On April 25th, 2011, three people were reported killed while fleeing Zintan, due to artillery shelling from Gaddafi forces .

It was unclear how many of those harmed were civilians or rebels, from this single source claim via Al Jazeera.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • 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, Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Zintan (الزنتان), for which the generic coordinates are: 31.930396, 12.250838. 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
    0 – 3
  • 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, Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-070

Incident date

April 20, 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

Seven civilians were reported killed as a result of indiscriminate shelling on Misurata by Gaddafi forces. Among them were two internationally known photojournalists, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros.

The BBC reported: “Briton Tim Hetherington, 40, is said to have been killed in a rocket-propelled grenade attack. US photographer Chris Hondros, 41, was also killed, and two others, including Briton Guy Martin, were injured.”

A former colleague later said they were indeed killed by a mortar shell: “Sebastian Junger had planned to be along on that assignment. ‘At the last minute, I couldn’t go,’ he told Koppel. ‘Tim went on his own, and was hit with a fragment from an .81 mm mortar, the same mortar that killed Chris Hondros.'”

In a Vanity Fair article he reiterated the story: “Tim was 40 years old when he died and had devoted most of his professional life to documenting the human cost of war. On April 20, in a bombed-out section of Misrata, a single mortar shell made him part of the cost. He was hit in the groin with shrapnel and bled out in the back of a pickup truck while Guillermo Cervera, a Spanish photojournalist he had just met, held his hand and tried to keep him awake. Hours earlier, amidst fierce shelling by Qaddafi forces, Tim had sent what was to be his last message on Twitter: In besieged Libyan city of Misurata. Indiscriminate shelling by Qaddafi forces. No sign of NATO.”

According to the Daily Mail, three more people were injured in the attack.

Arab Anger Revolution said that five more people were killed on that day in Misurata due to indiscriminate shelling.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Tim Hetherington
40 years old male Photographer killed
Chris Hondros
41 years old male Photographer killed
Guy Martin
Adult male Photographer injured
Michael Brown
Adult male Freelance journalist injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 men2 journalist)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Tim Hetherington (via CBS)
  • Chrin Hondros (via CBS)
  • Video report on the incident by BBC Arabic
  • Euro News report on the incident

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.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 men2 journalist)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-069

Incident date

April 14, 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

At least 16 civilians were reportedly killed in indiscriminate shelling by Gaddafi regime forces on Misurata.

Human Rights Watch reported: “Libyan government forces have launched indiscriminate rocket and mortar attacks on residential neighborhoods in the rebel-held city of Misrata, Human Rights Watch said today. One strike, apparently by a Grad rocket, killed at least eight civilians waiting in line for bread. Another attack, apparently with a mortar round, hit a medical clinic, wounding four others.

At least 16 civilians have been killed in indiscriminate attacks since April 14, 2011, Human Rights Watch said, based on witness and survivor accounts, as well as inspections of the impact sites. Human Rights Watch found no evidence of military activity in the areas that came under attack, and witnesses said rebel fighters were not present in those areas when the attacks took place.”

Al Jazeera also reported on the shelling, showing the bodies of civilians and rocket fragments.

The Telegraph put the number of victims at 23, saying that “most of the dead were reported to be women and children, along with three Egyptian migrant workers waiting to be evacuated.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16 – 23
  • (4–6 children4–6 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other, Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Al Jazeera reporting on the indiscriminate shelling in Misurata

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.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    16 – 23
  • (4–6 children4–6 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 targets
    Libyan rebel forces, Other, Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-065

Incident date

April 9, 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

At least five civilians were allegedly killed by Gaddafi forces shelling of Misurata.

Al Jazeera said: “A spokesman for the Libyan revolutionaries in the western city of Misurata said that the Libyan Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s brigades continued to bombard the city they besieged on Monday, killing five people and wounding more than twenty others. Meanwhile, a cautious calm prevailed in the east of the country after the rebels regained the city of Ajdabiya and began their march towards Brega.”

The source added: “A spokesman for the rebels said that the Gaddafi Brigades had, for the first time, used Russian-made Grad missiles – fired by multi-barreled launchers loaded on small trucks – on several targets in the city, especially an iron factory.”

UNICEF also noted: “The UN Children’s Fund said it had verified that children as young as 9 months have been killed in Misrata, with at least 20 child deaths and many more injuries, due to shrapnel from mortars and tanks, and bullet wounds. Almost all child deaths have occurred in the past 20 days, with a majority of child victims below 10 years of age.”

Airwars recorded eight child deaths from other Misurata events over the previous 20 days. A further 12 are summarised in this incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (12 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    21–22
  • 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

Sources (2) [ 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
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17
  • (12 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    21–22
  • 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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

Lib2011-060

Incident date

April 5, 2011

Location

شارع طرابلس ومنطقة الميناء, Tripoli Street and the Port, Misrata, Libya

Geolocation

32.369469, 15.083981 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On April 5th 2011, two civilians were reported killed and 26 injured as a result of artillery shelling by Gaddafi forces on the city of Misurata. The bombing was said to have started at 10am.

According to Al Jazeera, “A Libyan rebel said today, Wednesday, that two people were killed and 26 wounded in artillery shelling launched by the security brigades loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi on the city of Misrata.”

Another rebel man said, “The pro-Gaddafi forces bombed Misrata, but the bombing has now stopped … The attacks were mainly around the port and the Tripoli Street area near the city centre.”

The man, Abd al-Salam, said in a phone call to Reuters that Misrata was bombed by tanks, artillery and mortar shells, mainly in Tripoli Street and the Mina area, noting that the bombing began at ten in the morning yesterday and stopped at five in the afternoon the same day.

There is currently no further information available.

The incident occured at 10:00:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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, Other, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention strikes around the port (الميناء‎) area and Tripoli street (شارع طرابلس) in the city of Misurata (مصراتة). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for the port of Misurata are: 32.363523, 15.218700. The generic coordinates for Tripoli street are: 32.369469, 15.083981.

  • Reports of the incident mention strikes around the port (الميناء‎) area and Tripoli street (شارع طرابلس) in the city of Misurata (مصراتة).

    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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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, Other, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]