Rafallah al-Sahati Brigade

Last updated
Rafallah al-Sahati Brigade
كتيبة راف الله السحاتي
Active regionsEastern Libya
Ideology Islamism
Size~1,000
Part of Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries
AlliesFlag of Ansar al-Sharia (Libya).svg Ansar al-Sharia
OpponentsOperation Dignity coalition
Battles and wars Libyan Civil War
Post-civil war violence in Libya
2014 Libyan conflict

The Rafallah Sahati Brigade is named after one of the first Libyans to die while fighting Gaddafi's forces in March 2011 in Benghazi. The group began as a battalion of the 17 February Martyrs brigade, before expanding to become a group in its own right. Its members are estimated at 1,000 with presence in eastern Libya and in Kufra. The brigade took part in securing the national elections and other Ministry of Defence operations in eastern Libya. It has denounced the killing of the US ambassador in Benghazi. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdul Fatah Younis</span> Libyan general

Abdul Fatah Younis Al-Obeidi was a senior Libyan military officer. He held the rank of major general and the post of minister of interior, but resigned on 22 February 2011 and defected to the rebel side in the First Libyan Civil War. He was considered a key supporter of Muammar Gaddafi or even No. 2 in the Libyan government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Liberation Army (Libya)</span> Libyan military organisation

The National Liberation Army, officially the National Liberation Armed Forces of the Free Libyan Republic, formerly known as the Free Libyan Army, was a Libyan military organisation affiliated with the National Transitional Council, which was constituted during the First Libyan Civil War by defected military members and civilian volunteers, in order to engage in battle against both remaining members of the Libyan Armed Forces and paramilitia loyal to the rule of Muammar Gaddafi. Its self proclaimed chief commander was General Khalifa Haftar, although the National Transitional Council preferred to appoint Major General Abdul Fatah Younes Al-Obeidi as its commander-in-chief. It had prepared for some time in portions of Eastern Libya controlled by the anti-Gaddafi forces for eventual full-on combat in Western Libya against pro-Gaddafi militants, training many men before beginning to go on the offensive. They have battled for control of Benghazi, Misrata, Brega, Ajdabiya, Zawiya and Ra's Lanuf as well as several towns in the Nafusa Mountains. They finally began the Battle for Tripoli in August 2011 when they attacked from the west of the city, as well as fomenting an internal uprising on 20 August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khalifa Haftar</span> Libyan Field Marshal leader of LNA (born 1943)

Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Omar Haftar is a Libyan politician, military officer, and the commander of the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army (LNA). On 2 March 2015, he was appointed commander of the armed forces loyal to the elected legislative body, the Libyan House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanitarian situation during the 2011 Libyan Civil War</span>

By the end of February 2011, medical supplies, fuel and food were dangerously low in Libya. On 25 February, the International Committee of the Red Cross launched an emergency appeal for US$6,400,000 to meet the emergency needs of people affected by the violent unrest in Libya. On 2 March, the ICRC's director general reminded everyone taking part in the violence that health workers must be allowed to do their jobs safely.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Factional violence in Libya (2011–2014)</span> Period of violence in Libya following the overthrow of Gaddafi

Following the end of the First Libyan Civil War, which overthrew Muammar Gaddafi, there was violence involving various militias and the new state security forces. This violence has escalated into the Second Libyan Civil War (2014–2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libyan National Army</span> Armed forces under the control of Khalifa Haftar mostly in the East of Libya

The Libyan National Army or the Libyan Arab Army is a component of Libya's military forces which were nominally a unified national force under the command of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar when he was nominated to the role on 2 March 2015 by the House of Representatives, consisting at the time of a ground force, an air force and a navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Benghazi attack</span> Attack against two United States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya

The 2012 Benghazi attack was a coordinated attack against two United States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, by members of the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ansar al-Sharia (Libya)</span> Salafist jihadist group in Libya

Ansar al-Sharia in Libya was an Al-Qaeda-aligned Salafi Jihadist militia group that advocated the implementation of Sharia law across Libya. Ansar al-Sharia came into being in 2011, during the Libyan Civil War. Until January 2015, it was led by its "Amir", Muhammad al-Zahawi. As part of its strategy, the organization targeted specific Libyan and American civilians for death and took part in the 2012 Benghazi attack. The group was designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, Iraq, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">February 17th Martyrs Brigade</span> Islamist militia in Libya

The February 17th Martyrs Brigade is an Islamist militia in Libya.

Libya Shield 1 was an Islamist armed group in Benghazi and eastern Libya. It is nominally part of the Libya Shield Force and is a member of the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libyan Special Forces</span> Elite Libyan National Army unit

The Libyan Special Forces (LSF), also known as the Al-Saiqa or Saiqa Special Forces and simply Saiqa or Al-Saiqa, are an elite Libyan National Army unit formed from a mixture of paratroopers, paramilitary forces and commandos. Prominent LSF commander Mahmoud al-Werfalli was indicted in 2017 and 2018 by the International Criminal Court for the war crime of murdering and ordering the murders of non-combatants, and was assassinated in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libyan civil war (2014–2020)</span> Armed conflict in Libya

The Libyan civil war (2014–2020), also more commonly known as the Second Libyan Civil War, was a multilateral civil war which was fought in Libya between a number of armed groups, but mainly the House of Representatives (HoR) and the Government of National Accord, for six years from 2014 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libya Shield Force</span> Islamist armed group

The Libya Shield Force is an armed organisation formed in 2012 out of anti-Gaddafi armed groups spread throughout Libya. The Libyan parliament designated much of the Libya Shield Force as terrorist and elements of the Libya Shield Force were identified as linked to al-Qaeda as early as 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries</span>

The Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries was a military coalition in Benghazi composed of Islamist and jihadist militias, including Ansar al-Sharia, Libya Shield 1, and several other groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libyan Crisis (2011–present)</span> Conflicts in Libya from 2011 onwards

The Libyan Crisis is the current humanitarian crisis and political-military instability occurring in Libya, beginning with the Arab Spring protests of 2011, which led to two civil wars, foreign military intervention, and the ousting and death of Muammar Gaddafi. The first civil war's aftermath and proliferation of armed groups led to violence and instability across the country, which erupted into renewed civil war in 2014. The second war lasted until October 23, 2020, when all parties agreed to a permanent ceasefire and negotiations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamic State in Libya</span> Branch of Islamic State in Libya

The Islamic State – Libya Province is a militant Islamist group active in Libya under three branches: Fezzan Province in the desert south, Cyrenaica Province in the east, and Tripolitania Province in the west. The branches were formed on 13 November 2014, following pledges of allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by militants in Libya.

The Battle of Benghazi was a battle of the Second Libyan Civil War. It was fought in May and July 2014 between the Islamic Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries and the Libyan National Army, and some residents which stood with the army in the city. The Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries led by Ansar al-Sharia (Libya) has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

This is a detailed timeline of the Libyan civil war (2014–2020) which lasted from 2014 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Benghazi (2014–2017)</span> Battle during the Second Libyan Civil War

The Battle of Benghazi (2014–2017) was a major battle of the Second Libyan Civil War that raged from October 2014 to December 2017, between the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Libya, and the Libyan National Army (LNA), and paramilitaries supporting the Libyan National Army in the city. The battle was a direct consequence of the failed Benina Airport Offensive by the Benghazi Revolutionaries and their Allies, which allowed LNA Forces to regroup and attack deep into Benghazi.

On 18 May 2017, an attack was launched by militia men of the town of Misrata and Benghazi Defense Brigades against the Brak al-Shati Airbase controlled by LNA forces. LNA sources claimed 141 people, including 103 soldiers and numerous civilians were killed as a result of the raid. The base was completely overrun and partially destroyed along with numerous aircraft in the base. Accusations of executions of surrendering forces lead to international condemnation of GNA forces.

References

  1. "BBC News - Guide to Libya's militias". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2013-10-06.