Italian victory The Battle of Ain Zara was fought in December 1911 during the Italo-Turkish War between the Kingdom of Italy and Ottoman Empire forces for the control of the oasis of Ain Zara, near Tripoli in modern Libya, where the Ottomans had established a fortified base.

The center column, led by General Luigi Rainaldi, included the 82nd and 84th Infantry Regiments and a mountain battery; the left column, led by Colonel Amari and tasked with capturing Point 38 (known to the Italians as the Fornaci Hill), consisted of two battalions of the 52nd Infantry Regiment.

At 3:00 P.M. the Ottoman troops, threatened with encirclement by Giardina's brigade, started to withdraw from the oasis, abandoning all their artillery.

[4] During the following day, Italian infantry and cavalry mopped up the surrounding area, pursuing the Ottoman-Arab forces and capturing some caravans as well as four camps and a considerable booty of weapons, ammunition, tents, provisions and livestock.

After capturing the oasis, Italian forces fortified the area and built a new railway section that linked Ain Zara to Tripoli.