Libyan resistance movement

Last updated
Leaders
Dates of operation1911-1918
1923-1932
Country Italian Tripolitania and Italian Cyrenaica (later Italian Libya), Egypt, Sudan
MotivesLiberation of Libya from Italian colonization
Allies
Opponents
Battles and wars Italo-Turkish War
World War I (Senussi Campaign)
Pacification of Libya

The Libyan resistance movement was the rebel force opposing the Italian Empire during its Pacification of Libya between 1923 and 1932.

Contents

History

First years

The Libyan resistance, associated with the Senussi Order, was initially led by Omar Mukhtar (Arabic عمر المختار ‘Umar Al-Mukhtār, 1862–1931), who was from the tribe of Mnifa. The First Italo-Senussi War had two main active phases: the Italo-Turkish War (1911–12), when Italy invaded Libya, and the Senussi Campaign (1915–17), part of World War I, in which Italian and British forces fought the Ottoman and German-supported Senussi. [2] The Libyans were eventually defeated. After a period of relative peace, the Second Italo-Senussi War broke out in 1923 and lasted until 1932.

Second Italo-Libyan War (1923–1932)

Later King Idris and his Senussi tribe in the provinces of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania started to become opposed to the Italian colonization after 1929, when Italy changed its political promises of moderate "protectorate" to the Senussi (done in 1911) and—because of Benito Mussolini—started to take complete colonial control of Libya. Hundreds of Libyans fought in the Italian colonial corps, including the Meharists and Savari troops.

The Libyans suffered between 40,000 [3] and 70,000 deaths [4] due to battles, deportation and starvation, while the Italian colonial troops lose 2,582 men [5] Estimated 100,000 to 250,000 indigenous Libyans also immigrated or went into exile during the period from the start of the Italo-Turkish war in 1911 to the end of Italian governance in 1943. [6]

Aftermath

Resistance was crushed by General Rodolfo Graziani in the 1930s and the country was again controlled by the Italians with the help of Libyan collaborators, to the point that many Libyan colonial troops fought on the side of Italy between 1940 and 1943: two divisions of Libyan colonial troops were created in the late 1930s and 30,000 native Libyans fought for Italy during World War II. Tripolitanian nobles in Egypt established the Libyan Arab Force to fight alongside the Allies. [7] [8] [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senusiyya</span> Libyan Sufi mystic order in Sunni Islam

The Senusiyya, Senussi or Sanusi are a Muslim political-religious Sufi order and clan in Libya and surrounding regions founded in Mecca in 1837 by the Grand Sanussi, the Algerian Muhammad ibn Ali al-Sanusi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Capuzzo</span> WWII-era fort near Sollum, Italian Libya

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omar al-Mukhtar</span> Libyan resistance leader (1858–1931)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian Cyrenaica</span> 1911–1934 Italian possession in North Africa

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military operations in North Africa during World War I</span> Series of conflicts during World War I

Conflicts took place in North Africa during World War I (1914–1918) between the Central Powers and the Entente and its allies. The Senussi of Libya sided with the Ottoman Empire and the German Empire against the British Empire and the Kingdom of Italy. On 14 November 1914, the Ottoman Sultan proclaimed a jihad and sought to create a diversion to draw British troops from the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. Italy wished to preserve its gains from the Italo-Turkish War. The Senussi Campaign took place in North Africa from 23 November 1915 to February 1917.

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The War in Jebel Akhdar refers to the fighting between Italian soldiers and Senussi rebels near the forested and mountainous areas of the Jebel Akhdar. The attacks by the Italians were initially met by strong guerrilla resistance, but this resistance soon fell as the Battle of Uadi Bu Taga took place. This conflict resulted in the execution of the main Senussi leaders and, subsequently, the end of the Italian pacification campaign.

References

  1. Saini Fasanotti, Federica (2012). Libia 1922-1931 le operazioni militari italiane (in Italian). Rome: Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito ufficio storico.
  2. Rickard, J. (9 September 2007). "Senussi Uprising, 1915–1917". Military History Encyclopedia on the Web. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  3. Mohamed Fekini and the Fight to Free Libya - Angelo Del Boca,Antony Shugaar
  4. A Historical Companion to Postcolonial Literatures – Prem Poddar, Rajeev Shridhar Patke, Lars Jensen
  5. John Gooch: Mussolini’s War: Fascist Italy from Triumph to Collapse, 1935–1943. o. O. 2020, S. 9.
  6. John L. Wright, Libya, a Modern History, Johns Hopkins University Press, p. 42.
  7. John, Ronald Bruce St (2015-05-15). Libya: Continuity and Change. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-135-03654-6.
  8. Peters, Emrys L. (1990). The Bedouin of Cyrenaica: Studies in Personal and Corporate Power. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-521-38561-9.
  9. Pollard, Tony; Banks, Iain (2008). Scorched Earth: Studies in the Archaeology of Conflict. BRILL. ISBN   978-90-04-16448-2.