From 1 March to 31 March 2018, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL)
documented 16 civilian casualties � five deaths and 11 injuries � during the conduct
of hostilities across Libya, a significant drop from the two previous months.
Victims included three men, one woman and one girl killed and three men, one woman,
four boys and three girls injured.
The majority of civilian casualties were caused by shelling (two deaths and
seven injuries), followed by gunfire (two deaths), explosive remnants of war (ERW,
one death), and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED, one injury). The
exact causes of one death and three injuries was unknown
UNSMIL documented civilian casualties in Sabha (four killed and eight
injured), Derna (two injured), Benghazi (one killed) and Ajdabiya (one injured).
UNSMIL documented four additional casualties from other possible violations
of international humanitarian law and violations or abuses of international human
rights law in al-Zawiya, Benghazi and Sabha.
Civilian Casualty Incidents
Between 6 and 24 March, intermittent clashes in Sabha between Awlad Suleiman
and Tebu tribal armed groups and their allies claimed at least four civilian lives
and eight civilian injuries. Casualties occurred as a result of the use of
indiscriminate fire in densely populated areas, as well as reports of sniper
shootings at civilians or civilian vehicles. Civilian casualties in Sabha included a
6 year-old-girl killed and three other children injured on 6 March in the Hajara
neigbourhood when a shell hit their temporary refuge. They had earlier fled their
homes in the area of Tayouri due to clashes. On 7 March, a Tebu man was killed by
multiple gunshots in southern Sabha. On 10 March, an 11-year-old girl sustained
shrapnel injuries in the shelling of her home. On 11 March, a woman was killed while
her husband, a doctor from Gatroun, and their two children were injured when their
moving vehicle came under fire in south-eastern Sabha. On 18 March, a 46-year-old
man of Arab origin sustained minor injuries when a shell, hit his residence. On 24
March, an unidentified man, likely to have been a Sub-Saharan African migrant
worker, was killed in the shelling of the Hajara neighbourhood.
On 4 March, a woman and her daughter sustained minor shrapnel injuries when
their home in western Derna was hit by an unknown projectile. The outskirts of Derna
have witnessed sporadic fighting between the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the
Derna Mujahedeen Shura Council.
On 20 March, a Palestinian man and long-term resident of Benghazi, was
killed when an unknown explosive detonated in his home in the area of Sabry, site of
protracted fighting between the LNA and the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council
(BRSC) and their allies.
On 29 March, a civilian sustained a minor injury when a VBIED detonated at a
checkpoint east of Ajdabiya. The attack also left six LNA affiliated military
personnel dead and another nine injured.
Attribution
The BRSC and allies are believed to have been responsible for leaving mines
and ERWs in areas of Benghazi they controlled prior to their retreat.
The so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the VBIED attack on
the checkpoint east of Ajdabiya through the Amaq News Agencyrdquo;.
UNSMIL was unable to determine with certainty which parties to the conflict
had caused the other civilian casualties in March.
Casualties from other violations of international humanitarian law and
violations or abuses of human rights
On 4 March, a man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen inside his Sabha
shop. On 23 March, a 52-year-old man was shot in the neighbourhood of Manshia in
Sabha. During both incidents, there were no armed clashes in the vicinity. The two
killings are not believed to have been linked to the ongoing armed conflict in
Sabha.
On 18 March, a university student from al-Zawiya was gunned down on the
street by a member of an armed group. The motive of the killing remains unclear.
On 25 March, the body of a member of the Special Forces, believed to have
been a medical professional, was uncovered in al-Kuweifiya inside his vehicle. He
suffered from multiple gunshot wounds. A number of suspects have been arrested in
Benghazi in relation to the incident.
Note
The figures for civilian casualties set out above only include persons
killed or injured in the course of hostilities and who were not directly
participating in the hostilities. The figures do not include those casualties that
are not a direct result of hostilities, for example executions after capture,
torture or abductions, or casualties caused as an indirect consequence of
hostilities. The figures are based on information UNSMIL has gathered and cross-
checked from a broad range of sources in Libya, including human rights defenders,
civil society, current and former officials, employees of local governments,
community leaders and members, witnesses, others directly affected and media
reports. In order to assess the credibility of information obtained, where possible,
UNSMIL reviewed documentary information, including medical records, forensic reports
and photographic evidence.
The figures are only those that UNSMIL was able to document in the reporting
period. They are not likely to be complete and may change as new information emerges
about incidents involving civilian casualties that took place during this period.
Similarly, while UNSMIL has systematically tried to ensure that the cases it
documented are based on credible information, further verification would be required
to attain a higher standard of proof. Due to the security situation, UNSMIL has not
been able to carry out direct site visits to all relevant locations in Libya to
obtain information. Fear of reprisals against sources further hamper information
gathering.
While not all actions leading to civilian casualties breach international
humanitarian law, UNSMIL reminds all parties to the conflict that they are under an
obligation to target only military objectives. Direct attacks on civilians as well
as indiscriminate attacks � which do not distinguish between civilians and fighters
� are prohibited. Attacks that are expected to cause incidental loss of civilian
life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects excessive to the
anticipated concrete and direct military advantage are also prohibited. Such attacks
amount to war crimes that can be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.
In order to ensure greater protection of the civilian population and
essential infrastructure, all parties engaged in fighting in Libya must cease the
use of mortars and other indirect weapons and imprecise aerial bombardments in
civilian-populated areas, and not place fighters or other military objectives in
populated areas. All executions of captives must cease and all those captured
including fighters must be treated humanely in all circumstances. Murdering or
torturing captives is also a war crime, regardless of what the captive may be
accused of.
Cases highlighted in the Casualties from other violations of international
humanitarian law and violations or abuses of human rightsrdquo; section include
casualties caused during incidents that would constitute a violation of
international humanitarian or human rights law, but are not a direct result of
hostilities, for examples executions upon capture of civilians and others hors de
combat (such as captured fighters) and torture causing death. The section also
includes casualties caused by the proliferation of weapons and impunity enjoyed by
armed groups and criminal networks � considered as indirect consequences of
hostilities. Cases highlighted in the other casualtiesrdquo; section are not
included in the figures for civilian casualties and include only those that UNSMIL
documented during the month.
Source: United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL)