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Libya
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Chronology 2011
CIA Factbook
Libya鈥檚 uprising began on Feb. 15-16, 2011 after a small civil protest to demand freedom for human rights lawyer Fethi Tarbel in eastern Benghazi. The protest 鈥 in a city a long political rival of Tripoli 鈥 soon grew into a larger armed movement targeting the regime of Colonel Moammar Qaddafi, who had been in power since a 1969 military coup.
But the rebels were inexperienced and disorganized. After Qaddafi鈥檚 forces pushed back the opposition, the U.N. Security Council authorized a no-fly zone over Libyan airspace on March 17. NATO airstrikes were launched two days later, allowing disparate rebel militias to gain territory in key cities. Over the next seven months, anti-Qaddafi forces fought to take Qaddafi strongholds. Qaddafi was captured and killed on Oct. 20.
Feb. 15鈥 16:听In Benghazi, a small rally demanded the release of a human-rights lawyer and condemned a prison massacre. The civil protest grew into a large anti-Qaddafi demonstration, which police and government forcibly tried to quash.
Feb. 17 鈥 25:听Hundreds were killed in protests in several cities.
Feb. 20:听Justice Minister Mustafa Abdel Jalil and Interior Minister Abdel Fattah Younes defected to join the protesters.
Feb. 21:听Most of the diplomats in Libya鈥檚 mission to the United Nations resigned, called for Qaddafi鈥檚 resignation, and asked the U.N. to impose a no-fly zone over Libya.
Feb. 19 鈥 22:听Rebels battled with Qaddafi鈥檚 forces at al Baida airport, eventually taking it over.
Feb. 22:听The Arab League suspended Libya鈥檚 membership.
Feb. 24 鈥 May:听Government forces battled rebels for control of Misrata, an oil-rich town close to Tripoli.
Feb. 25:听The U.S. closed its embassy in Tripoli and imposed unilateral sanctions against Libya, freezing $30 billion in government assets.
Feb. 26:听The U.N. imposed sanctions on Libya and then referred Qaddafi to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Feb. 27:听Benghazi residents announced creation of the interim Transitional National Council (TNC).
Feb. 28:听The EU adopts sanctioned, embargoed arms sales, froze assets and banned visas for senior Libyan officials.
March 3:听Obama called on Qaddafi to step down, saying his regime has 鈥渓ost the legitimacy to lead.鈥 The National Libyan Council announced that it will have 30 members and be chaired by Mustafa Abdel Jalil, Qaddafi鈥檚 former justice minister.
March 12:听The Arab League asked the U.N. Security Council to declare a no-fly zone.
March 17:听The U.N. voted in favor of 鈥渁ll necessary measures short of an occupation force,鈥 to protect Libyan civilians, effectively sanctioning a no-fly zone. Five members abstained, including China, Russia and Germany.
March 19-21:听NATO launched air strikes. On March 21, NATO strikes destroyed a building in Qaddafi鈥檚 compound, though representatives deny the leader was targeted.
March 27:听Rebels recaptured oil towns Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad. International airstrikes targeted Sirte, Qaddafi鈥檚 hometown.
April 16:听 Rebels published a draft constitution.
May 15:听The ICC issued arrest warrants for Qaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi.
May 28:听TNC members said they will not seek political office after Qaddafi鈥檚 fall.
May 30:听鈥淔ree Libya,鈥 a rebel-run television station, began broadcasting. The first big post-crackdown protest against Qaddafi鈥檚 rule took place in Tripoli.
June 1:听NATO voted to continue the Libya mission until September.
June 6:听Rebels captured Yafran, west of Tripoli.
June 27:听Battles began in the rebel-controlled Nafusa Mountains, ending a period of relative peace in the west.
July 6:听Rebels launched a two-pronged offensive against government forces from Misrata and the mountains southwest of Tripoli. Rebels seized al Qawalish and Kikla, 60 miles southwest of the capital.
July 15:听The U.S. and the international contact group recognized the NTC as the 鈥渓egitimate authority鈥 in Libya.
July 28:听Abdel Fattah Younes, the rebels鈥 chief of staff, was killed, apparently by rebel troops.
Aug. 7:听Rebels took control of Bir al Ghanam, 50 miles south of Tripoli.
Aug. 8:听The TNC dissolved its cabinet as a result of Younes鈥 murder.
Aug. 18:听The TNC released a draft constitution for post-Qaddafi Libya. The rebels took control of Zawiyah, 30 miles west of Tripoli.
Aug. 20:听Rebels took control of Brega.
Aug. 22:听Rebels took Tripoli, encountering little resistance. Qaddafi broadcasted a call for help.
Aug. 23:听Opposition fighters invaded Qaddafi鈥檚 military compound at Bab al Azizia.
Aug. 24:听Rebels began battling in Sabha and Zuwarah, two Qaddafi strongholds in the south and west.
Aug. 25:听The U.N. announced the release of $1.5 billion in frozen assets for the rebels.
Aug. 26:听The NTC gave its first press conference from Tripoli, saying it will move its headquarters from Benghazi to the capital.
Sept. 9:听NTC Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril arrived in Tripoli for the first time.
Sept. 9 鈥 Oct 17:听The rebels fought to take control of Qaddafi stronghold Bani Walid.
Sept. 15 鈥 Oct 20:听Rebel troops engaged in heavy fighting and finally captured Sirte, Qaddafi鈥檚 hometown.
Sept. 16:听The U.N. accepted the NTC as Libya鈥檚 representative and removed some sanctions.
Sept. 18:听Mustafa Abdul Jalil, chairman of the NTC, failed to form a transitional cabinet due to internal divisions between the NTC and rebel commanders. They delayed announcing a new government 鈥渋ndefinitely.鈥
Sept. 20:听Obama met with Jalil at the U.N.听 Jalil addressed the General Assembly.
Sept. 22:听Rebel forces gained control of Sabha, Jufra, and oasis towns Sokna, Waddan, and Houn. Rebels found radioactive material in Sabha, later confirmed by the IAEA.
Oct. 3:听The NTC announced that it will disband and begin the elections process once Sirte is taken. Mahmoud Jibril was named interim prime minister.
Oct. 14:听Battles erupted in residential Tripoli neighborhoods with hundreds of militiamen participating.
Oct. 20:听Qaddafi was captured as he tried to flee Sirte and was quickly killed by rebels, who documented the event with cell phones. His son Mutassim was also captured and killed in unclear circumstances. Both bodies were displayed in a refrigerated meat store in Misrata for Libyans to see.
Oct. 23:听Large celebrations were held in Benghazi as Mustafa Abdel Jalil announced that Libya was liberated. In a press conference, Jalil said that Sharia law would be the 鈥渕ain source鈥 for legislation.
Oct. 31:听NATO ended its mission in Libya, calling it a 鈥渟uccessful chapter.鈥 The NTC elected Abdurraheem el Keib, a dual U.S.-Libya citizen, as interim prime minister by placing votes in a transparent box.
November 鈥 June 2012:听Battles between rival militias and tribes broke out in Tripoli and across Libya; the new army and NTC members were forced to intervene to restore peace.
Nov. 17:听In Benghazi, the Muslim Brotherhood held its first public conference after being banned for decades.
Nov. 19:听Saif al Islam, Qaddafi鈥檚 son and heir apparent, was captured.
Nov. 22:听Interim Prime Minister el Keib appointed a new cabinet; the new defense minister was commander of the unit that captured Saif al Islam.
Dec. 9 -13:听The First National Congress for Libyan Reconciliation and Reconstruction was held in Tripoli.
Dec. 12:听Hundreds rallied in Benghazi calling for Jalil to step down. In response, the NTC named Benghazi the 鈥渆conomic capital鈥 of Libya.
Dec. 13:听Protesters set up a tent city in Tripoli to demand membership and voting transparency from the NTC.
2012
After the eight-month uprising, the interim government struggled to regain control. Battles erupted frequently among rival militias. The most hopeful development was a democratic election for the General National Congress, which took control on Aug. 8, 2012.
But the new government鈥檚 authority was increasingly undermined by armed groups. In September 2012, Salafis destroyed several Sufi shrines and took over mosques in several cities. On September 11, Islamic militants attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, killing Ambassador Chris Stevens, three members of his staff and 10 Libyan security guards.
Feb 20:听Misrata held local council elections, independent of the NTC.
March 6:听Despite protests against them, leaders of eastern oil-rich Cyrenaica, including Benghazi, declared the province to be semi-autonomous.
March 7:听Jalil vowed to use force if necessary to prevent Cyrenaica from becoming autonomous.
March 17:听Abdullah al Senussi, former intelligence chief, was arrested at the airport in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
April 20:听The NTC took control of Tripoli鈥檚 airport from a Zintan militia.
May 14:听Islamist Abdel Hakim Belhadj, head of the powerful Tripoli Military Council militia, stepped down to set up the Watan political party.
July 1:听Protesters stormed Benghazi鈥檚 election headquarters and burned ballots after the eastern third of Libya was denied its request for one-third of assembly seats.
July 7:听Elections for a new 200-member national assembly, known as the General National Congress (GNC), were generally peaceful.
July 17:听Election results showed Mahmoud Jibril鈥檚 National Forces Alliance won 39 out of 80 Assembly seats reserved for parties. The Muslim Brotherhood won 17 seats. Women captured 33 seats.
Aug. 8:听The NTC formally ceded power to the newly elected assembly.
Aug. 9:听The assembly chose former opposition leader Mohammed Magarief as its president.
Aug. 19:听Two car bombs exploded in Tripoli. Security forces disarmed two other bombs and arrested several suspects.
Sept. 5:听Qaddafi鈥檚 intelligence chief was extradited to Libya by Mauritania so that he could be put on trial for murder and war crimes.
Sept. 7:听Salafists attempted to destroy a Sufi shrine in Rajma leaving three local residents dead.
Sept. 11:听Heavily-armed Islamic militants attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, killing Ambassador Chris Stevens, three members of his staff and ten Libyan security guards. Demonstrators stormed the consulate in protest of an anti-Islam film.
Sept. 12-14:听Libyans protested the killing of American diplomatic staff in major Libyan cities. Libyan officials blamed al Qaeda-linked militants for the attack.
Sept. 22:听Political and military leaders negotiated a deal to bring all Benghazi militias under control of the National Army.
Sept. 23:听Crowds of Benghazi residents forced militias to leave the city and authorities gave groups two days to vacate military bases.
Oct. 15:听Secular politician Ali Zeidan was elected prime minister, beating the Muslim Brotherhood鈥檚 Mohammad Harari.
2013
Armed groups continued to undermine the government鈥檚 authority. In August 2013, federalist leader Ibrahim Jathran and his allies blockaded four oil terminals, demanding greater autonomy for the east. The closures lasted nearly a year and cost the Libyan government billions of dollars in oil revenue.
March 29: Salafi militants blew up a Sufi shrine in Tripoli.
May 5: Islamist politicians passed the controversial Political Isolation Law, which banned Qaddafi-era officials from politics for ten years.
August: Federalist leader Ibrahim Jathran and his allies seized four key oil terminals, demanding greater regional autonomy in the east. Their blockade lasted nearly a year and cost the Libyan government billions of dollars in oil revenue.
Oct. 10:听Gunmen from the government-funded Libya Revolutionaries Operation Room militia briefly kidnapped Prime Minister Ali Zeidan.
2014
In 2014, Libya experienced its worst wave of violence since the 2011 uprising. Clashes between Islamist and secular militias escalated across the country. Libya鈥檚 June 2014 election marked a key turning point. After secular politicians beat Islamists in the polls, a coalition of Islamist militias known as Libya Dawn drove the elected government out of Tripoli. Libya Dawn then supported creation of a rival government under Omar al Hassi, a former member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group.
Hardline Islamist militias in the east 鈥 who have steadily increased their numbers and weaponry since the 2011 uprising 鈥 faced a challenge from a secular militia led by Gen. Khalifa Heftar, a renegade officer from the Libyan military. In July 2014, a coalition of Islamist militias 鈥 including Ansar al Sharia 鈥 defeated Gen. Heftar鈥檚 forces and declared Benghazi and Islamic caliphate. Gen. Heftar continued to try to contest Benghazi, launching a new offensive in October.
The appearance of Islamic State affiliates further complicated the range of militias in 2014. In Derna, an eastern city with a strong jihadist history since the 1980s, a group of fighters returning from Syria formed the Shura Council of Islamic Youth. In October, the group formally declared allegiance to ISIS 鈥 also known as the Islamic State, ISIL, or Daesh.
Feb. 3: Islamists in the GNC extended the assembly鈥檚 mandate beyond February 7. Secular militias from Zintan threatened to attack Tripoli in response.
March 8-10: Jathran鈥檚 forces defied the GNC and tried to export oil in the east. The GNC attempted to liberate oil terminals by force, leading to clashes in Sirte and the Zillah oil field.
March 11: Zeidan was ousted as prime minister after failing to resolve the oil crisis.
March 16: U.S. naval forces seized Jathran鈥檚 oil tanker and returned it to the Libyan government.
Early April:听The government reached an agreement with Jathran over the oil crisis. Two terminals reopened immediately, and the other two reopened in July.
May 4: GNC Islamists elected Ahmed Maetig as prime minister. Secular politicians declared the vote invalid for not following correct parliamentary procedure.
May 16: Renegade General Heftar launched 鈥淥peration Dignity鈥 against Ansar al Sharia, a hardline Islamist militia, in Benghazi. Heftar later expanded his attack to all Islamists, including the Muslim Brotherhood.
June 9: Libya鈥檚 Supreme Constitutional Court rejected Maetig鈥檚 appointment. He then stepped down.
June 25: Libya held parliamentary elections to replace the GNC. Only 630,000 people voted, and many polling stations closed due to violence. The Brotherhood picked up only 25 seats.
July 30: Ansar al Sharia declared Benghazi an Islamic caliphate after capturing strategic areas of the city from Gen. Heftar鈥檚 forces.
August: Libya Dawn, a coalition dominated by Islamist militias from Misrata, captured Tripoli after a 5-week battle with secular militias. Libya Dawn refused to recognize the newly elected government, dominated by secular politicians, and forced it to flee to Tobruk.
Aug. 22: U.S. officials claimed that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates conducted airstrikes on Islamists in Tripoli. Egypt denied involvement, and the UAE refused to comment.
Aug. 25: Islamist members of the GNC established a rival parliament in Tripoli, backed by Islamist militias. They elected Omar al Hassi as their leader.
October: Gen. Heftar launched a new offensive against Benghazi鈥檚 Islamists and recaptured a key military base from Ansar al Sharia.
Oct. 19: The elected government in Tobruk, known as the House of Representatives (HoR), officially allied with Gen. Heftar and supported his attack on Islamists in Benghazi.
Oct. 21: Al Hassi met with Turkish diplomats. Turkey and Qatar both supported the Islamist government in Tripoli.
Nov. 6: Libya鈥檚 Supreme Court declared the elected government in Tobruk illegal. Officials in Tobruk claimed the court was coerced into the decision by Islamist militias.
Nov. 12: The U.N. special envoy to Libya听听with the head of the Tripoli parliament for the first time.
Nov. 13:听叠辞尘产蝉听听near the Egyptian and United Arab Emirates embassies in Tripoli. Both had allegedly conducted airstrikes on Islamists in Tripoli in August.
Nov. 19:听ISIS-linked militants gained control of听听a port city of 100,000 people in eastern Libya.
Nov. 20:听The U.N. Security Council听听two branches of Ansar al Sharia in Libya.
2015
By 2015, Libya鈥檚 armed groups had sidelined politicians and driven the country to the brink of civil war. ISIS affiliates 鈥 which continued to gain ground - conducted a series of deadly attacks on foreigners. After ISIS executed 21 Egyptian Christians in February, Egypt launched airstrikes against ISIS targets in Libya. But ISIS attacks continued, and militants killed 30 Ethiopian Christians in April.听
U.N.-brokered peace talks among Libya鈥檚 factions began in January 2015 and continued through August. Diplomatic efforts stalled, as parties resisted meaningful power-sharing and the option of a national unity government. But by March 2016, the Tripoli government had ceded authority to the unity government led by Fayez al Sarraj.
Jan. 8:听The U.N. special envoy to Libya听听with factions in Tobruk and Tripoli, including Gen. Heftar.听听
Jan. 14:听U.N.-brokered peace talks on Libya听听in Geneva.
Jan. 21:听The Tripoli government听听the talks, accusing the Tobruk government of violence.
Jan. 26:听Leader of Ansar al Sharia in Libya, Mohamed al Zahawi,听听died while fighting pro-government forces.
Jan. 27:听Gunmen stormed the luxury Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli, killing 10 people, including five foreigners. ISIS-linked militants听听谤别蝉辫辞苍蝉颈产颈濒颈迟测.
Feb. 9:听Forces loyal to the Tobruk government听听the main military base in Benghazi from Islamist fighters.
Feb. 17:听滨厂滨厂听听21 Egyptian Christians in Libya. Egyptian President Abdul Fattah el Sisi decided to strike ISIS targets in eastern Libya in response.听
Feb. 20:听ISIS-linked militants听听three car bombs, killing at least 38 people, in apparent retaliation for Egyptian airstrikes.
March 5:听Libyan factions听听U.N.-backed peace talks in Morocco.
April 1:听The Islamist parliament in Tripoli听d听al Hassi as prime minister. Al Hassi rejected the dismissal.
April 13:听滨厂滨厂听听responsibility for twin听听on the Moroccan and South Korean Embassies in Tripoli, killing two local police officers and injuring another.
April 20:听滨厂滨厂听听30 Ethiopian Christians in southern and eastern Libya.
May 12:听Forces loyal to the Tobruk government听听a Turkish cargo ship off the coast of Tobruk. Turkey had supported the Islamist government in Tripoli.
May 21:听滨厂滨厂-濒颈苍办别诲听听took over the city of Sirte.
June 1:听滨厂滨厂听听its territory to the east, south, and west of Sirte, forcing Misratan militias to retreat.
June 3:听厂别苍颈辞谤听听from the United Kingdom, Italy and the European Union met the foreign minister of Libya鈥檚 internationally recognized government, Mohamed Dayri, to reach agreement on the formation of a national unity government.
June 10:听Libya's internationally recognized听听dropped out of U.N.-backed peace talks, refusing a plan to share power with rivals.
June 10-11:听听killed a senior al Qaeda official, Nasser Akr. Al Qaeda-linked militants declared war on ISIS affiliates in Libya. Nine ISIS militants were killed and two Shura Council members, including a top commander called Salem Derbi.
June 14:听A U.S. strike听听killed Algerian Islamist Mokhtar Belmokhtar in Libya. But Ansar al Sharia denied the claim.听
July 11:听尝颈产测补苍听听reached a U.N.-brokered peace deal without the Islamist government in Tripoli.听
December 17:听GNC and HoR representatives signed a U.N.-backed deal to form a unity government, despite lacking formal approval from either government. A nine-member presidential council, led by Fayez al Sarraj, was tasked with appointing a cabinet. But progress stalled over the next few months.
2016
Campaigns against Islamist movements continued in eastern Benghazi and central Sirte. General Heftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA) clashed with Benghazi Defense Brigade fighters and ISIS militants in the east. Libyan forces ousted the Islamic State from its last stronghold in Sirte at the end of the year.听听
Feb. 19:听American warplanes reportedly听听a training camp in Sabratha in an attempt to kill a Tunisian militant commander associated with planning attacks on Western tourists in Tunisia in 2015. At least 43 were reportedly听听in the airstrikes, including two Serbian hostages.
Feb. 22:听Libya Armed Forces Media听听footage showing Libyan troops attacking ISIS on the ground in Benghazi.
March 4:听Two Italian hostages were听听from ISIS captivity in Libya. Italian officials said that two others were thought to be dead.听
March 10:听A senior ISIS militant, Abdul Qadr al Najdi,听听that he is the new Islamic State leader in Libya and that the group is getting 鈥渟tronger every day.鈥
March 13:听The United States and several European countries recognized the unity government, known as the Government of National Accord (GNA) as Libya's legitimate government.
March 30:听Prime Minister Fayez al Serraj, head of the UN-backed Unity Government, and members of the presidency council听听from Tunisia by boat at a naval base in Tripoli.
March 31:听Libya鈥檚 unity government听听work from a 鈥榮ecured鈥 Tripoli naval base.听
April 2:听Two guards听听in an attempted attack on an oil field in eastern Libya. ISIS was suspected in the attack.
April 5:听Tripoli鈥檚 self-declared National Salvation government听听it is stepping down after only a week in the Libyan capital.
April 8:听French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault听听out launching airstrikes or sending troops on the ground to combat ISIS in Libya. He, however, said that France could help secure the U.N.-brokered national unity government in Tripoli.
April 10:听Staff were听听from three oil fields in eastern Libya due to fear of attacks by ISIS militants.
April 13:听ISIS militants听听six security force members in a suicide bombing and attacks on a military camp in western Libya.
April 15:听Two ISIS suicide bombers听听attacks near a cement factory in Benghazi resulting in six deaths and 25 injuries.
April 16:听A hospital source听听at least 15 members of the security forces were killed and 40 were wounded from two days of clashes in Benghazi with ISIS.
April 18:听Libyan forces听听key areas in Benghazi from Islamist militants and other opposition forces.
April 20:听ISIS fighters听听from long-held positions around the port city of Derna.
April 21:听Military forces loyal to Libya鈥檚 eastern government听听airstrikes against ISIS fighters in Derna after they had retreated from positions close to the city.
April 23:听ISIS militants and Libyan forces guarding oil ports near Brega terminal听, killing one guard and wounding four.
April 28:听The GNA announced听听to launch an offensive against ISIS in Sirte.听The unity government听听military factions to hold off from any campaign against ISIS until a unified military command structure was created.
May 5:听ISIS militants听听and killed five people between their stronghold of Sirte and the city of Misrata.
May 6:听Four people were听听and at least 20 were wounded in shelling at a rally in Benghazi in support of forces allied with Libyan eastern government. No group claimed immediate responsibility.
May 11:听Western Libyan forces听听an attack on the Islamic State stronghold of Sirte after territorial gains made by the militant group last week.
May 12:听A hospital spokesman听听that four members of military forces loyal to the unity government were killed and 30 were wounded in a battle with ISIS near the western city of Misrata.
U.S. troops were听听at two outposts near Misrata and Benghazi to try and enlist local support for an offensive against ISIS.
The United States听听jeeps, planes, and communications technology to Tunisia to help protect the border with Libya where the Islamic State has gained territory and set up training camps.
May 18:听U.N.-backed unity government forces听听ISIS fighters back toward Sirte but lost more than 30 men. A car bomb killed seven in the fight.
May 20:听Leader of eastern-backed forces General Khalifa Heftar听听he will not work with the unity government until militias aligned to it were disbanded.
May 29:听Forces loyal to the U.N.-backed unity government听听they aimed to encircle Sirte.
May 31:听Libyan security forces听听a second town from the Islamic State, pushing the militant group away from positions near major oil terminals and toward its stronghold of Sirte.
惭补测-闯耻苍别:听Both pro- and anti-GNA armed factions advanced on Sirte and began capturing territory from ISIS.
June 1:听Libyan brigades听听10 men and reported 40 injuries in fighting near Sirte.
June 3:听The unity government prime minister听听that Libya was working with various armed factions and would be able to defeat Islamic State militants themselves.
June 4:听Libyan brigades听听an air base from ISIS in south Sirte.
June 11:听Libyan forces听听they have taken control over the port of Sirte, marking a major gain in their battle to recapture Sirte from the Islamic State.
June 12:听A suicide bomber听听three people at a Libyan forces鈥 field hospital in Sirte.
June 24:听Four Libyan troops and 10 militants听听in fighting between Libyan forces and the Islamic State in Sirte.
July 7:听A car bomb in Benghazi听 12 Libyan troops.
July 12:听Libyan forces laid听听on ISIS in Sirte with shelling and airstrikes.
July 15:听Libyan forces听听losses in battle to recapture Sirte.
July 20:听French Defense Minister Jean Yves Le Drian听听French Special Forces鈥 presence in Libya.
French President Francois Hollande听听three French soldiers were killed in a helicopter accident on an intelligence gathering mission in Libya.
July 22:听Libyan forces听听gains against ISIS in battle for city of Sirte.
Aug. 1:听The United States听听airstrikes in support of the operation to retake Sirte. It was the听听U.S. intervention conducted in collaboration with the unity government.
Aug. 2:听听A car bomb targeting security forces in the east Libyan city Benghazi听听at least 22 people and wounded 20.
Aug. 11:听Libyan forces听听fighting against Islamic State in Sirte and听听a large convention center from the group.
Aug. 16:听Libyan forces听听one of the last districts in central Sirte from the Islamic State in their battle to recapture the entire city.
Aug. 18:听滨厂滨厂听听suicide bombings against Libyan forces in Sirte killing at least 12 fighters and wounding around 60.
Aug. 21:听Libyan forces said they 听the main mosque and jail from ISIS in Sirte. At least nine fighters died and 85 were injured from the battle.
Aug. 22:听The House of Representatives voted to听听the GNA, with 60 votes against, one in favor, and 40 abstaining. The GNA responded by promising to submit a revised cabinet.
Aug. 29:听Libyan forces听听a residential neighborhood from ISIS in central Sirte, leaving only one district to be recovered. 听
Sept. 3:听Fighting against the Islamic State听听and Libyan forces advanced against some ISIS holdouts in Sirte.
Sept. 6:听Tunisia鈥檚 defense minister听听Norther African countries should be cooperating more to stop ISIS. Tunisia feared Islamic State fighters fleeing their stronghold in Sirte were returning to their homelands and causing trouble.
Sept. 8:听Two car bombs听听near Tripoli鈥檚 foreign ministry and a naval base. No one was injured. No group claimed immediate responsibility.
Sept. 11:听Eastern-backed forces听听at least two oil ports from pro-government forces.
Sept. 18:听Libyan forces听听their fight against the Islamic State in Sirte.
Sept. 20:听Airstrikes in central Libya听听at least nine civilians. The identity of the responsible war plane was not confirmed but thought to be from one of the two rival factions operating in the area.
Sept. 22:听Libyan forces听听three attempted car bombings by ISIS in Sirte. Fighting between the two sides killed nine Libyan fighters and wounded more than 40. Forces recovered 10 bodies of ISIS fighters.
The prime minister of Libya鈥檚 U.N.-backed government听听he was open to talks with eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Heftar.
Oct. 2:听Libyan forces听听an attempted ambush by ISIS militants in their former stronghold of Sirte. Libyan forces lost at least eight men in the attack.
Oct. 4:听Shelling in residential area of Benghazi听听at least three civilians and injured 12. A spokesman for Khalifa Heftar鈥檚 forces saod the shelling came from a position occupied by 鈥渢errorist groups鈥.
Oct. 12:听Libyan forces听听into last Islamic State area in Sirte.
Oct. 15:听Libyan forces听听into another area in their battle against ISIS in Sirte. 14 troops were killed in the fighting. 听
A Libyan rival faction to the U.N.-backed GN础听听a building used by parliament in Tripoli and proclaimed its own authority and demanded a new government.
Oct. 16:听Libyan forces听听Cambo area in the city of Sirte.
Oct. 15-Oct. 17:听The U.S.听听more than 30 airstrikes against ISIS in Sirte, backing pro-government forces in the battle to push into the last militant鈥檚 stronghold.
Oct. 20:听Libyan forces听听five foreign captives held by ISIS in Sirte.
Oct. 22:听Libyan forces听听13 foreign captives held by ISIS in Sirte.
Oct. 27-28:听Ten bodies showing signs of torture were听听in a suburb of Benghazi. No group immediately claimed responsibility.
Oct. 29:听A car blast听听four and wounded at least 14 in a central district of Benghazi late Saturday. 听No group immediately claimed responsibility.
Nov. 6:听Libyan forces听听14 civilians from a small residential area where the Islamic State was holding out in Sirte.
Nov. 7:听The Pentagon听听it is ready to resume airstrikes against the Islamic State militants in Sirte if requested by the GNA.
Nov. 15:听A local Libyan official听听an airstrike targeting Islamist militants killed at least seven people near the southwestern city of Sabha. Gunmen seized the remains of the suspected militants from the morgue. It was unclear who carried out the airstrike and if the militants were linked to ISIS or al Qaeda.
Nov. 16:听A hospital official听听at least 20 members of the LNA were killed and 40 were injured from two days of fighting in city of Benghazi.
Nov. 17:听East Libyan army听听control of one of the last holdouts of Islamist-led militias in Benghazi. The clashes killed 18 troops.
Nov. 21:听A blast in Benghazi听听three children and wounded 20. Initial investigations suggested it was caused by projectiles that were fired from nearby. No group immediately claimed responsibility.
Nov. 22:听Libyan forces听听on ISIS in Sirte and urged civilians to leave the area.
Nov. 23:听Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi听听U.S. surveillance drones were flying over the Tunisian-Libyan border in order to monitor attacks by the Islamic State.
Nov. 24:听Libyan forces captured 25 houses and a stash of arms as they听听their advance against Islamic State militants in their former stronghold of Sirte.
Nov. 29:听East-backed Libyan commander Khalifa Heftar听听Russia to meet with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in order to ask for Moscow鈥檚 help in his fight against Islamist militants in Libya.
Dec. 1:听Rival armed groups听听fire in a tense battle in Tripoli.
Dec. 2:听Rival armed factions听听for a second day in the worst outbreak of fighting that the capital Tripoli has seen in more than a year.
Dec. 6:听Libyan forces backed by U.S. airstrikes听听ISIS from its last stronghold in the Ghiza Bahriya district of Sirte.
Dec. 7:听Armed groups听听of Ben Jawad, a town located near some of Libya鈥檚 major eastern oil ports.
Eastern Libyan forces听听an attempted advance by its rival faction on some of Libya鈥檚 major oil ports. Eastern forces听听they hit the rival group with airstrikes and captured some of its commanders, forcing the group鈥檚 withdrawal from the town of Ben Jawad.
Dec. 18:听A suicide bomber听听at least seven and wounded eight in an attack on eastern-backed Libyan forces in Benghazi. ISIS claimed responsibility.
Dec. 23:听A plane traveling from Libya to Malta was听听by two men armed with a grenade and pistols. The two men freed all the hostages unharmed and surrendered after declaring their loyalty to Libya鈥檚 former and now deceased leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Dec. 26:听Eastern-backed LNA forces听听an airstrike against a Benghazi Defense Brigades camp in central Jufra region.
2017
Security remained a key issue in 2017. Lacking a political solution, General Heftar continued his campaign against Islamists in Benghazi and declared victory in July, despite on-going clashes in the city. The Islamic State looked to regroup in Libya after large territorial losses in Iraq and Syria, according to defense officials.
Jan. 2:听Deputy Leader of Libya鈥檚 U.N. backed government Musa al Koni听听over the GNA鈥檚 failure to tackle urgent problems amidst the on-going conflict and political disorder.
Jan. 3:听East Libyan forces听听an airstrike against a pro-GNA military transport aircraft in the central district of Jufra. The head of the military council from the rival city of Misrata was wounded.
Jan. 5:听颁丑补诲听听its border with Libya and planned to deploy troops to the area in order to prevent the influx of militant fighters fleeing the Libyan conflict.
Jan. 11:听Khalifa Heftar, leader of the eastern-backed Libyan National Army,听听Russia鈥檚 only aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean and spoke with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu via video about fighting terrorism in the Middle East.
Jan. 12:听Khalifa Ghwell, self-declared Prime Minister of the self-declared government that ran Tripoli until early last year,听听to seize ministry buildings in Tripoli by force, but failed.
Jan. 17:听East Libyan forces听听control over one of the last areas of resistance held by Islamist-led rivals in Benghazi.
Jan. 19:听U.S. airstrikes听听at least 80 ISIS militants in camps outside of the group鈥檚 former stronghold in Sirte.
Jan. 20:听础听听killed one and wounded 13, including former interior minister Ashour Shuwail, in city of Benghazi. The Libyan National Army鈥檚 Islamist-led rivals were suspected in the attack.
Jan. 21:听A car bomb听听close to recently re-opened Italian embassy in Tripoli killing two. It was unclear who is responsible for the attack.
Jan. 25:听Eastern Libyan National Army forces听听control of Ganfouda district in Benghazi.
Jan. 26:听A counter-terrorism unit in Tripoli听听eastern-backed rival forces were behind a car bomb attack that killed two men near the Italian embassy on January 21. 听
Jan. 27:听U.S. President Trump听 an executive听order temporarily banning entry from nationals of Libya and six other Muslim-majority countries into the United States.
Late Jan.:听Libyan forces听90 militant bodies following reported U.S. airstrikes near the former Islamic State stronghold of Sirte. Libyan forces also arrested two suspected militants and killed four who refused to surrender.
Feb. 1:听Five soldiers听听from eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) airstrikes in district of Benghazi.
The LNA听70 soldiers to Russia for treatment. This was the first overt sign of cooperation between Russia and one of Libya鈥檚 armed factions.
Feb. 2:听Four LNA soldiers听听in a battle to recapture district of Benghazi from Islamist rivals.
Feb. 8:听A top U.N. official听听there was a growing consensus to amend the composition of the Presidency Council in Libya.
Feb. 10:听Security officials听听that Islamic State militants have shifted to desert valleys and inland hills southeast of Tripoli as they flee their former stronghold of Sirte.听
Feb. 16: Libya a request to NATO to train and develop its military to fight against terrorism and build stability. 听
Feb. 20: Libya鈥檚 eastern government women from traveling solo for 鈥渘ational security reasons.鈥
Feb. 22: A Libyan Muslim Brotherhood member General Heftar鈥檚 accusations that the Brotherhood is a terrorist organization and the greatest threat to the country. 鈥淲hat Haftar wants now is to exclude all Islamist groups, especially the moderate ones, and even those who currently support it, because he always acts through conspiracy theory,鈥 said a former general for the Brotherhood.
March 4: The Islamist Benghazi Defense Brigades captured key oil ports in the eastern part of the country from Heftar鈥檚 Libyan National Army (LNA).
March 14: Heftar鈥檚 forces the Ras Lanuf, Sidra and Ben Jawad oil ports from a rival Islamist militia.
March 18: Heftar鈥檚 eastern forces the final holdout of its Islamist rivals southwest of Benghazi. The rival group had laid siege to a 12-block area for over a week. The LNA said 23 were killed, at least six were injured and another six were arrested in the fighting.
Late March: Defense officials the Islamic State may move its headquarters to Libya after losing large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria.
May 8: General Heftar a new offensive against Islamist fighters in Benghazi. Heftar lost 15 fighters and another 55 were injured in the new operation.
May 26: Islamist militias with UN-aligned armed groups in Tripoli. At least 28 people were killed and more than 120 were injured.
May 27: Al Qaeda鈥檚 affiliate Ansar al Sharia said it was formally itself. The group was responsible for the 2012 Benghazi attack that killed U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens.
May 29: Egypt said it to carry out airstrikes against Islamist militants in Libya that were allegedly responsible for ambushing and killing Egyptian Christians last week.
June 3: The Manchester bomber who killed 22 people at a pop concert in May with Libyan ISIS members liked to the November 2015 Paris attacks, according to intelligence officials.
June 13: The Algerian and French foreign ministers a political solution in Libya to reduce the spread of terrorism and the potential spillover across its borders.
June 27: Egypt 12 vehicles loaded with arms, ammunition and explosives as they tried to cross over from Libya in airstrikes.
July 6: General Heftar Benghazi had been liberated from Islamists, saying the city now enters a new period of 鈥渟ecurity, peace and reconciliation.鈥
July 7: Fighting in Benghazi despite Heftar鈥檚 declaration. The LNA lost 12 men and another 35 were wounded during clashes in the eastern city.
July 25: Primer Minister Serraj and General Heftar to a conditional ceasefire and to holding elections in spring 2018 during a talks in France.
July 30: Some 500 LNA-linked forces an Islamist militia from Sabratha.听
Aug. 23: Islamist militants 11 people, nine LNA soldiers and two civilians, at a checkpoint in the central Jufra region.
Aug 31: A car bomb four of Heftar鈥檚 troops at a checkpoint in Nawfiliya town in Libya鈥檚 Oil Crescent region. The Islamic State claimed the attack. 听
Sept. 4: LNA forces airstrikes on ISIS fighters south and east of Sirte. The Islamic State had set up checkpoint and attacked local forces in recent weeks, raising concerns that ISIS could be regrouping around its former stronghold. 听
Sept. 22: The United States its first drone strikes in Libya under President Trump. The six strikes killed 16 ISIS fighters and destroyed three vehicles in a desert camp south of Sirte.
Oct. 31: U.S. special forces Mustafa al Imam, who was reportedly involved in the 2012 Benghazi attack in which U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed.
Dec. 28: LNA forces the last Benghazi district controlled by Islamist fighters, according to military officials.
2018
Jan. 15: Clashes in Tripoli after a failed attempt to free militants from a prison. At least 20 people were killed, and 60 were wounded. The airport was shut down and planes were damaged in the clashes.
Mar. 24: The United States its first drone strike against al Qaeda in southern Libya.
May 2: ISIS suicide bombers killed 12 people in an on the Libyan High National Election Commission in Tripoli.
May 8: General Heftar a military operation to retake the coastal city of Derna, northeast of Benghazi, from the Shura Council of Mujahideen.
Late August 鈥 Late September: In late August, the Seventh Brigade, or Kaniyat, and other armed groups from outside Tripoli the capital. They faced opposition from the Tripoli Revolutionaries鈥 Brigades (TRB) and the Nawasi, two of Tripoli鈥檚 largest armed groups. The TRB and Nawasi were loyal to the Government of National Accord. By late September, at least 115 people had been killed and nearly 400 were injured.
Sept. 10: Gunmen attacked the headquarters of Libya鈥檚 National Oil Company in Tripoli. The assailants took hostages and set off explosions, including at least one suicide attack. Two company staff and the three militants were killed, and 10 people were wounded. ISIS later responsibility.
Nov. 30: A U.S. killed 11 suspected members of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in southwest Libya near the town of al Uwaynat. It was the third U.S. strike on AQIM since March 2018.
Dec. 25: Three suicide bombers carried out on the Foreign Ministry building in Tripoli. Three people died and 21 were wounded. ISIS later claimed responsibility.
2019
Jan. 16: LNA forces an offensive across southern Libya to 鈥減urge鈥 extremists and criminal gangs and 鈥渁ssure security for inhabitants in the southwest from terrorists.鈥
April 3-present: General Heftar and his self-styled LNA an assault to take control of Tripoli from the U.N.-backed GNA. The LNA quickly took control of towns on the outskirts of Tripoli, but GNA-aligned militias mobilized forces from Tripoli and Misrata to hold Heftar鈥檚 forces back at the southern edge of the capital. As of early June, the had killed 510 people and displaced 75,000. The National Conference, scheduled to begin on April 14, was cancelled.
May 4: ISIS militants killed nine people in an on an LNA training camp in the southern city of Sabha.
May 18: ISIS gunmen three guards at the Zella oilfield in southwest Libya. They kidnapped four other people. National Oil Corporation Chairman Mustafa Sanalla said continued instability could cause a 95 percent reduction in oil production.
July 11: Two car bombs four people and wounded 33 at a funeral for an LNA commander in Benghazi. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
July 17: Britain Hashem Abedi, the brother of a suicide bomber who killed 22 people in an attack at a concert in Manchester, in 2017. Abedi was charged with murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion. Authorities said he accompanied his brother, Salman, to Libya in April 2017 to receive training from ISIS before the attack.
Sept. 19: The United States a drone strike on ISIS targets in southern Libya. The Pentagon鈥檚 Africa Command said the attack killed eight ISIS militants in a compound in Murzuq, Libya. It was the first U.S. airstrike on ISIS in Libya since November 2018.听
Sept. 25: The U.S. military it launched a second airstrike in a week on ISIS militants near the town of Murzuq in southern Libya. The attack reportedly killed 11 militants.
Sept. 27: The United States carried out its third since September 19 on ISIS targets in Libya鈥檚 southern desert. The Pentagon said the attack killed 17 militants conducting training operations in southwest Libya. The airstrike targeted Malik Khazmi, an ISIS recruiter from Bani Walid who had helped the terrorist organization regroup in the area.
Oct. 17: Gunmen reportedly two seafront cafes in Tripoli to enforce strict Islamic laws regarding interactions between unmarried men and women. Women unaccompanied by a male relative were harassed and banished from the caf茅s. The identify or group affiliation of the Islamists was unknown.
Nov. 16: ISIS鈥檚 鈥淲ilayat Barqa"听 branch in Libya allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al Hashemi al Qurayshi after the death of Abu Bakr al Baghdadi in October. The group鈥檚 media outlets posted photos of 32 militants offering their support to the new leader.
2020听
Jan. 7:听Forces loyal to General Khalifa听Heftar鈥檚听Libyan National Army听(LNA)听听the coastal town of Sirte from Salafist militias allied with the Government of National Accord听(GNA). The Islamists reportedly withdrew from the city and allowed Haftar鈥檚 forces to quickly take Sirte without bloodshed. 鈥淎fter studying the situation, our forces took a decision to withdraw outside Sirte, then await orders,鈥 the Sirte Protection Force said in a statement.听鈥漁ur听forces still retain their full capabilities and our withdrawal from Sirte is not the end.鈥澨
Jan. 15:听The Guardian听听that Turkey sent 2,000 Syrian fighters to support the U.N.-backed听GNA. The mercenaries, deployed in late December and early January, were members of the Free Syrian Army, a loose coalition of Syrian opposition groups that Turkey had supported in the Syrian Civil War. They听reportedly听signed six-month contracts directly with the GNA and were promised Turkish nationality upon their return.听
Jan. 16:听Germany announced that General Haftar had听听to a ceasefire ahead of peace talks in Berlin. On January 8, Turkey and Russia, which had听backed rival sides in the conflict,听听on the parties to 鈥渄eclare a sustainable ceasefire, supported by the necessary measures to be taken for stabilizing the situation on the ground and normalizing daily life in Tripoli and other cities.鈥 Haftar鈥檚 LNA had launched an offensive to take Tripoli from the GNA in April 2019, which led to a nine-month stalemate.听
Jan. 30:听Forces听听with the GNA and LNA resumed fighting in Tripoli and Misrata two weeks after their foreign backers arranged a ceasefire.听
Feb. 5:听Turkey听听Syrian militants听allegedly听linked to al Qaeda and ISIS to support the Government of National Accord (GNA), according to militia leaders and a war monitor. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that Turkey had deployed 4,700 Syrian mercenaries, including 130 former Islamic State or al Qaeda fighters.听
Feb. 18:听The GN础听听out of cease-fire negotiations after the听LNA, headed by Khalifa Haftar, shelled听Tripoli鈥檚听port. The Tripoli-based government said that it would not rejoin talks 鈥渦ntil firm responses are taken against the attacker, and we will respond firmly to the attack in appropriate timing.鈥澨
Mar. 27:听The GNA听鈥淥peration Peace Storm鈥 to repel LNA forces in the Tripoli area. GNA Prime Minister Fayez al听Sarraj听said that the operation was in response to recent attacks by the LNA. 鈥淲e reiterated that we will respond to the continuous violations of the armistice, and we have already said, and are still saying, that we will not stand by idly. So, this is precisely what happened as orders were issued to respond forcefully to the repeated terrorist attacks on civilians,鈥澨齋arraj听said.听
Apr. 30:听The GN础听听a cease-fire proposal by Haftar鈥檚听LN础听during the COVID-19 epidemic. The GNA said that it would continue its 鈥渓egitimate self-defense, strike threats wherever they exist and stamp out illegal armed groups.鈥 The Tripoli government had made military gains within the past month, including recapturing the country's western coastline, after a nearly a year of deadlock with the LNA.听
May 9:听The听LN础听听dozens of rockets at the听Mitiga听International Airport in Tripoli. The LNA claimed that a section of the airport housed Turkish drones that were used by the听GN础听to target LNA forces. Several passenger planes were damaged in the attack.听
May 19:听The LN础听听from Tripoli after forces allied with the GNA captured al听Watiya, the LNA's only airbase near the capital. LNA spokesman Ahmed al听Mismari听called the move a 鈥渞edistribution and repositioning in the battle fronts and disengaging from some crowded residential areas.鈥 GNA Interior Minister听Fathi听Bashagha听said that LNA General听Haftar鈥檚 chance of controlling Libya was 鈥渆ffectively zero鈥 after the pullout.听
June 4:听The听GN础听听full control of Tripoli after the听LN础听withdrew from Tripoli鈥檚 suburbs. The GNA recaptured the city鈥檚 international airport with the help of Turkish military support. The LNA had launched an offensive to take the city in April 2019. 听