Tripoli military school airstrike

Tripoli military school airstrike
Part of Western Libya campaign of the Second Libyan Civil War
Location	Al-Hadhba military school, Tripoli, Libya
Date	January 4, 2020 9pm
Target	Cadets
Weapon	Blue Arrow 7 missile from a Wing Loong II drone
Deaths	26
Injured	33
Perpetrator	United Arab Emirates Libyan National Army

v t e Libyan civil war (2014–2020)
2014s coups Islamist conflict with Libyan National Army 1st Benghazi Benina Airport 2nd Benghazi 2nd Derna 4th Derna ISIL and anti-ISIL operations Kikla 1st Derna Nofaliya Egyptian airstrikes 1st Sirte Bin Jawad Misrata 2nd Sirte Factional fighting Tripoli Airport Ubari Traghan West Libya 1st Tripoli LNA vs GNA Gulf of Sidra Brak al-Shati 2nd Gulf of Sidra Saddada Castle Southern Libya Sabha Murzuq Western Libya Gharyan Volcano of Rage Tajoura Misrata Zuwarah Tripoli military school 3rd Sirte Central Libya al-Watiya al-Watiya airstrike Terror attacks Kidnapping of Copts Corinthia Hotel Al Qubbah Zliten truck bombing Flight 209 3rd Derna Benghazi car bombing Benghazi bombing Tripoli attack NOC attack Foreign involvement American intervention Turkish intervention Egyptian intervention Peace Process Palermo Conference Libyan peace process
Libyan peace process

Libyan civil war (2014–2020)

2014s coups

Islamist conflict with Libyan National Army

ISIL and anti-ISIL operations

Factional fighting

LNA vs GNA

Terror attacks

Foreign involvement

Peace Process

Libyan peace process

On January 4, 2020, the United Arab Emirates aiding the Libyan National Army launched an airstrike on a military school used by the UN-backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli, Libya. Twenty-six people were killed and thirty-three were wounded.

Prelude

Main article: Western Libya campaign

The Libyan National Army, a rival government and faction that fought the UN-recognized Government of National Accord during the Second Libyan Civil War, launched an offensive against the GNA headquarters and Libyan capital of Tripoli in April 2019. On December 12, 2019, LNA commander Khalifa Haftar announced the "final battle" for Tripoli, committing more forces to the city. The LNA also increased its air presence around the city. In the Hadhba neighborhood that same day, five civilians were killed by LNA bombings.

Airstrike

Around 9pm on January 4, around 50 cadets of the GNA-affiliated Al-Hadhba military school were on a parade grounds, waiting to be sent back to their dormitories. Most of the cadets were students between the ages of 18 and 22, from cities across Libya. When the paramedics arrived, it was hard to discern and identify bodies due to many being charred. Videos from tripoli hospitals showed limbless cadets and bloodied floors. The initial death toll of the attack reported by the GNA was sixteen killed and thirty-seven injured, but this rose to twenty-six killed and thirty-three injured. A survivor of the attack stated he saw "guys whose torsos were separated from their bodies... and we couldn't do anything."

Aftermath

A United Nations report discovered that the United Arab Emirates, who backs the LNA, was operating the drone that conducted the airstrike at the behest of the LNA. The missile was a Chinese Blue Arrow 7 missile fired from a Wing Loong II drone. Students who survived the attack urged international authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable for the airstrike in a statement given on the one-year anniversary of the airstrike.

Reactions

The GNA called to refer Haftar and his associates to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
UNSMIL condemned the attack.

References

^ "Libya conflict: Tripoli military school suffers deadly air strike". 2020-01-04. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
"Libyan Commander Haftar orders forces to advance on Tripoli in 'final battle'". France 24. 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
^ "Dozens killed in attack on military academy in Libya's Tripoli". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
"Dozens killed in bombing of military academy in Libya". The Guardian. Reuters. 2020-01-05. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
^ "UAE implicated in lethal drone strike in Libya". 2020-08-28. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
"Deadly Airstrike in Libya Wreaks Havoc at Military Academy". The New York Times. 2020-01-04. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
"Libyan authorities report airstrike on military academy". PBS NewsHour. 2020-01-05. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
^ "UAE involved in drone strike that killed 26 Libyan cadets: Report". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
"Libya marks first anniversary of Tripoli Military College attack | The Libya Observer". libyaobserver.ly. Retrieved 2024-02-15.

Categories: