In a massive incident, between 20 and 30 people were killed and 33 others injured in an alleged LNA or Emirati airstrike that targeted a military school in Al Hadaba, Tripoli, Libya on January, 4th, 2020, according to local sources. Libya Al Ahrar reported that victims of this attack don’t exceed the age of 25 years.
While the majority of casualties are among combatants, Al Wasat reported that there have also been civilian casualties.
Akhbar Libya reported from other sources that a shell landed on the college’s square during an evening gathering and that it wasn’t clear whether the attack was deliberate or not.
According to 218TV, the Media Department of the Ministry of Health in Al-Wefaq government confirmed that the final outcome of targeting the Military College in Tripoli is 30 dead, including two unidentified bodies, and 33 wounded.
Libya Al Ahrar said that the initial examination of the remnants of the missile used in the attack revealed that “the missile, a ‘Blue Arrow Seven’, was launched from a Chinese-made ‘Wing Loong’ drones, in which the UAE supported Haftar’s militants, according to reports of the United Nations Committee of Experts concerned.”
According to Al Wasat “it is not possible to count the number of dead due to the scattering shreds.” It also quoted LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari saying: “The explosion was from inside the college and not from outside it.” Al Wasat added that “he pointed to pictures of the bombing as evidence of what he said was ‘the absence of traces of shells in the college.'”
The Libya Observer later updated the death toll among the cadets to 32. Additionally it said that “The Government of National Accord condemned the airstrike and declared three days of mourning in the country.
Reacting to the airstrike, Minister of Interior Fathi Bashagha urged the government to cut ties with the United Arab Emirates immediately.
Shortly after the massacre, thousands of people went to the streets of Tripoli.”
A BBC investigation later found that the strike was most likely conducted by an Emirati Wing Loong II drone.
The incident occured at approximately 9:00 pm local time.
