The 2011 Libyan Civil War and the fall of Muammar Gaddafi

The Libyan Civil War was an armed conflict fought in 2011 between forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi and rebel groups attempting to oust his government. The war was ignited by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, inspired by the Arab Spring. These protests led to clashes with security forces and armed protesters, eventually escalating into a rebellion that spread across the country and led to the establishment of the National Transitional Council.

In February 2011, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution freezing the assets of Gaddafi and his inner circle and referring the matter to the International Criminal Court. By early March, Gaddafi's forces pushed eastwards and re-took several coastal cities before reaching Benghazi. A subsequent UN resolution authorized a no-fly zone and the use of necessary measures to protect civilians, resulting in a NATO bombing campaign against Libyan military installations and vehicles. Throughout the conflict, rebels rejected ceasefire offers because the plans did not include the removal of Gaddafi.

In August, rebel forces launched an offensive on the government-held coast, backed by a NATO bombing campaign, and captured the capital city of Tripoli. On 16 September 2011, the United Nations recognized the National Transitional Council as the legal representative of Libya. Muammar Gaddafi was captured and killed in Sirte on 20 October 2011, and the official end of the war was declared on 23 October 2011.

In the aftermath of the civil war, a low-level insurgency by former Gaddafi loyalists continued. There were disagreements and strife between local militias and tribes, including fighting on 23 January 2012 in the former Gaddafi stronghold of Bani Walid. Many militias refused to disarm, leading to demonstrations against them and government actions to integrate them into the Libyan military. These unresolved issues led directly to a second civil war in Libya.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons