A/HRC/43/75
III.
A.
Protection of civilians and of individuals hors de combat
Indiscriminate attacks and other violations of international
humanitarian law
12.
A number of armed conflicts involving multiple parties have been reported in Libya.
The most recent ongoing round of hostilities following the march of the Libyan National
Army on Tripoli mainly broke out in the context of a non-international armed conflict
opposing the Government of National Accord, its affiliated armed groups and third States
supporting it against the Libyan National Army. In addition, several airstrikes appear to
have been conducted by foreign military aircraft in support of the Libyan National Army
against the Government of National Accord and affiliated armed groups. This raises the
question of whether, in addition to the non-international armed conflict, a parallel situation
of international armed conflict may also exist between one or more third States supporting
the Libyan National Army and Libya.
13.
Between 1 January and 30 November, UNSMIL documented 582 civilian casualties
(236 deaths and 346 injured), including 430 men, 54 boys, and 58 other males whose age
could not be determined, 23 women and seven girls. Its ability to monitor and verify
alleged violations was however limited by insecurity and access constraints to locations and
institutions where human rights violations and abuses and violations of international
humanitarian law had reportedly been committed. Thus, the incidents documented in the
present report may only reflect a portion of the overall human rights violations and abuses
and violations of international humanitarian law actually committed.
14.
Airstrikes were the leading cause of civilian casualties during the period under
review, accounting for 394 victims (182 deaths and 212 injured), including 302 men, seven
women, 24 boys, and 53 males whose age could not be determined, followed by ground
fighting, improvised explosive devices, abductions and killings. UNSMIL/OHCHR
documented the highest number of civilian casualties in the western part of the country
(171 deaths and 182 injured), followed by the southern part (97 deaths and 96 injured) and
eastern areas (16 deaths and 85 injured). Most of the casualties were attributed to the
Libyan National Army.
15.
During the year, fighting to regain control of certain areas or to repel offensives by
parties to the conflict intensified in and around civilian-populated areas. Airstrikes
combined with indirect fire weapons during ground fighting, including artillery, mortars,
rockets and grenades, caused the majority of the civilian casualties in civilian-populated
areas. As indirect weapons cannot be guided to hit a specific target and have a wide area of
impact, the risk of civilian casualties is very high when they are used in such areas.
UNSMIL/OHCHR recorded 98 civilian casualties (29 deaths and 69 injured), including 64
men, 13 women, 14 boys, six girls, and one male whose age could not be determined,
during ground fighting resulting from the use of indirect weapons.
16.
The incidents documented by UNSMIL/OHCHR included attacks against civilians,
including internally displaced persons, migrants and refugees, health-care workers,
community and religious leaders, journalists, human rights defenders and government
officials, and attacks on civilian objects, such as detention centres, schools, residential
homes, factories, health-care facilities, water and electricity supplies and airports.
17.
On 2 July, a fighter jet dropped two bombs on the Damam complex in Tajoura. The
first bomb hit a vehicle repair workshop and maintenance facility. Ten minutes later, a
second bomb hit a section of a detention facility, where 616 migrants and refugees were
staying. The attack killed 53 migrants and refugees, including 47 men and six boys, and
injured 87 others, all men. Those killed were reportedly citizens of Algeria, Bangladesh,
Chad, Morocco, the Niger and Tunisia. UNSMIL/OHCHR condemned and expressed
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