| Second Tripoli clashes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Libyan Civil War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| |||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | 20–80 [1] [2] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 killed, 60 wounded [3] | 2 killed, 10–15 captured [4] | ||||||
Clashes broke out in the Libyan capital of Tripoli on 14 October 2011 when a group of Gaddafi loyalists rose up against the National Transitional Council, leading to a firefight in the city's Abu Salim district as well as smaller clashes elsewhere in the city.
Tripoli, the Libyan capital, fell to rebel forces in late August 2011. The rebel forces were mostly met well by the local populace who seemed glad to be rid of Gaddafi, though it was clear that not all of the citizens of Tripoli supported the NTC. This was the first and so far only action by loyalists in the city since it came under the control of anti-regime forces. [5]
It was the third conflict to erupt in Tripoli since the outbreak of the Libyan Civil War, the first being the February 2011 Tripoli clashes, the second being the aforementioned battle for control of the city.
The clashes were reported to have started when a group of roughly 80 of Gaddafi's loyalists raised the ousted leader's green flag, even going as far as to raise the flag over a street, enraging opposition forces, which led to an exchange of fire. It was unclear who fired first but the situation quickly escalated. [2]
After the loyalist protesters dissipated, NTC forces searched the area, many of them discovering weapons caches. Soon after that, loyalist snipers opened fire, causing a large-scale gun battle between them and NTC forces. NTC fighters came in armed pickup trucks and began firing at the loyalists. There were reportedly shots fired by heavy machine guns on both sides. In the confusion, about 30 NTC fighters were hit by friendly fire. [2] Two Gaddafi loyalists and one NTC fighter were confirmed dead in the fighting. [6] After that, the uprising was quickly quelled with several of the loyalists killed or captured. [7]
The conflict was mostly confined to the Abu Salim district, which is known to be home to loyalists, although small clashes happened in other parts of the city, none of which resulted in any serious casualties. [7]
Once the clashes were brought under control, the council set up roadblocks in and around the city, as well as trying to root out loyalists remaining in the city. [8] [9] NTC forces also made their presence known by randomly firing their weapons in the air from time to time. [6]
Sirte, also spelled Sirt, Surt, Sert or Syrte, is a city in Libya. It is located south of the Gulf of Sirte, between Tripoli and Benghazi. It is famously known for its battles, ethnic groups, and loyalty to Muammar Gaddafi. Due to developments in the First Libyan Civil War, it was briefly the capital of Libya as Tripoli's successor after the Fall of Tripoli from 1 September to 20 October 2011. The settlement was established in the early 20th century by the Italians, at the site of a 19th-century fortress built by the Ottomans. It grew into a city after World War II.
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The Battle of the Misrata frontline was a battle during the Libyan Civil War between pro-Gaddafi loyalists and anti-Gaddafi forces on the western and southwestern outskirts of Misrata, the third largest city in Libya. It ended when anti-Gaddafi soldiers secured Zliten to the west and Tawergha to the south, establishing a significant buffer zone around the city.
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The Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade or Free Tripoli Guardian was a unit of the National Liberation Army of Libya created during the Libyan Civil War that merged into the Tripoli Protection Force. Originally formed in April 2011 in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi, it later relocated to the Nafusa Mountains, then the closest frontline to Tripoli, before advancing into the city itself in August.
The First Battle of Zawiya or Zawia was a battle during the Libyan Civil War between army units and militiamen loyal to Muammar Gaddafi and anti-Gaddafi forces for control of the city of Zawia.
The 2011 Libyan rebel coastal offensive was a major rebel offensive of the Libyan Civil War. It was mounted by anti-Gaddafi forces with the intention of cutting off the supply route from Tunisia for pro-Gaddafi loyalist forces in Tripoli.
The Battle of Tripoli, sometimes referred to as the Fall of Tripoli, was a military confrontation in Tripoli, Libya, between loyalists of Muammar Gaddafi, the longtime leader of Libya, and the National Transitional Council, which was attempting to overthrow Gaddafi and take control of the capital. The battle began on 20 August 2011, six months after the First Libyan Civil War started, with an uprising within the city; rebel forces outside the city planned an offensive to link up with elements within Tripoli, and eventually take control of the nation's capital.
The Second Gulf of Sidra offensive was a military operation in the First Libyan Civil War conducted by rebel anti-Gaddafi forces in August and September 2011 to take control of towns along the Gulf of Sidra in an effort to surround Muammar Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, which was held by pro-Gaddafi forces. It ended on 20 October, with the capture and execution of Muammar Gaddafi and his son Mutassim Gaddafi, along with former defense minister Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr. The Gaddafi loyalists in the area were finally defeated when NTC fighters captured Sirte.
The Battle of Sirte was the final and most decisive battle of the First Libyan Civil War, beginning when the National Liberation Army attacked the last remnants of the Libyan army still loyal to Muammar Gaddafi in his hometown and designated capital of Sirte, on the Gulf of Sidra. As of September 2011, Sirte and Bani Walid were the last strongholds of Gaddafi loyalists and the National Transitional Council hoped that the fall of Sirte would bring the war to an end. The battle and its aftermath marked the final collapse of the four-decade Gaddafi regime. Both Gaddafi and his son, Mutassim, were wounded and captured, then tortured and killed in custody less than an hour later. The month-long battle left Sirte almost completely in ruins, with many buildings damaged or totally destroyed.
The Battle of Bani Walid was a military operation in the Libyan Civil War conducted by anti-Gaddafi forces in September and October 2011, in an effort to take control of the desert city of Bani Walid from pro-Gaddafi forces. It began following days of force buildup on the part of the attackers, as well as skirmishes around the city.
The 2011 Libyan Civil War began on 17 February 2011 as a civil protest and later evolved into a widespread uprising. After a military intervention led by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States on 19 March turned the tide of the conflict at the Second Battle of Benghazi, anti-Gaddafi forces regrouped and established control over Misrata and most of the Nafusa Mountains in Tripolitania and much of the eastern region of Cyrenaica. In mid-May, they finally broke an extended siege of Misrata.
Mohammed Abdullah Senussi was the son of former Libyan Intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi. He was also known to be the first volunteer to fight against the rebels, and well-known in Libya for shooting down an American fighter jet above Misrata. On 29 August 2011, he and his cousin Khamis Gaddafi, were killed by a National Transitional Council technical.
The 2012 Bani Walid uprising was an event which started on 23 January 2012 due to an incident in the city of Bani Walid in which the "May 28 Brigade" militia wished to arrest local men in unclear circumstances. The May 28 Brigade and their compound were then attacked by local fighters who then took control of the town. The incident, the combatants, and the motives of the two main belligerents — the May 28 Brigade and Brigade 93 — remain uncertain and contentious. The conflict was originally reported to be an attack by Gaddafi loyalists by local NTC officials. However, tribal leaders and residents have denied any affiliation with Gaddafi's remnants, stating their goal was the establishment of their own council in the city. Similarly Britain's Foreign Office has dismissed claims of this incident representing a pro-Gaddafi attack against the NTC, stating that this was a dispute between tribal leaders of the Warfalla tribe and the NTC.
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Gaddafi loyalism, in a wider political and social sense also known as the Green resistance, consists of sympathetic sentiment towards the overthrown government of Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed in October 2011, and his Third International Theory. Despite Muammar Gaddafi's death, his legacy and Jamahiriya ideology still maintains a popular appeal both inside and outside Libya into the present day. Regardless, the Western sentiment has largely been that this continued support may contribute to some of the ongoing violence in Libya.
