The 2020 Battle of Sirte and the fall of the Misrata Brigades

The city of Sirte has always been a battleground. In 2011, during the First Libyan Civil War, Sirte formed the last stronghold of dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who died there on October 20. In 2015, during the Second Libyan Civil War, the city fell into the hands of the jihadists of Islamic State. By December 2016, it was once again under the control of the forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA) after a six-month battle and more than 700 dead from the Misrata Brigades.

The city was then under the control of the Misrata Brigades and Brigade 604, a Madkhalist Salafist militia. Brigade 604, despite its neutral claim, was mainly formed by the Ferjani tribe, the tribe of Field Marshal Haftar. The city is primarily inhabited by the Qadhadhfa and Warfalla tribes, loyal to the memory of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. But on January 4, 2020, another battle for Sirte began. Ghardabiya Airport, located south of the city, was captured by the Libyan National Army (LNA) of Marshal Khalifa Haftar and its defenders surrendered.

LNA soldiers then entered the city through five axes. Special forces managed to seize the port from the sea. Brigade 604 defected and attacked the Misrata Brigades from the rear. The Misrata Brigades, disorganized, retreated and abandoned the city after only three hours of fighting. Haftar’s soldiers were greeted with enthusiasm by locals waving posters bearing the likeness of Gaddafi and green flags of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. With the capture of Sirte, LNA forces shifted their attention towards the city of Misrata, located 250 kilometers to the northwest.

The offensive was the subject of careful preparation which lasted for months, with regular air raids against the Sirte Protection Forces. Following the victory, the Libyan National Army declared that Sirte has been totally liberated from terrorist groups.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons