Libyan crisis (2011–present)

Gaddafi became the de facto leader of the country on 1 September 1969, after leading a group of young Libyan military officers against King Idris I in a nonviolent revolution and bloodless coup d'état.

[10] After coming to power, the RCC government took control of all petroleum companies operating in the country and initiated a process of directing funds toward providing education, health care and housing for all.

[10][13] In early 2011, protests erupted with tens of thousands of Libyans taking to the streets demanding a democratic change in government as well as justice for the ones who suffered under Muammer Gaddafi's rule.

[14] These peaceful protests were faced with large violent crackdowns with government troops shooting protestors and allegedly running them over with tanks.

[23] His Jamahiriya regime came to an end the following month, culminating on 20 October 2011 with Sirte's capture, NATO airstrikes against Gaddafi's escape convoy, and his killing by rebel fighters.

Some brigades and militias shifted from merely delaying the surrender of their weapons to actively asserting a continuing political role as "guardians of the revolution", with hundreds of local armed groups filling the complex security vacuum left by the fall of Gaddafi.

Before the official end of hostilities between loyalist and opposition forces, there were reports of sporadic clashes between rival militias and vigilante revenge killings.

The Tobruk government, strongest in eastern Libya, has the loyalty of Haftar's Libyan National Army and has been supported with air strikes by Egypt and the UAE.

[38][41] In addition to these, there are also smaller rival groups: the Islamist Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries, led by Ansar al-Sharia (Libya), which has had the support of the GNC;[42] the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's (ISIL's) Libyan provinces;[43] as well as Tuareg militias of Ghat, controlling desert areas in the southwest; and local forces in Misrata District, controlling the towns of Bani Walid and Tawergha.

[45] On 2 July, rival leaders reached an agreement to reunify the eastern and western managements of Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC).

The nationwide ceasefire agreement is set to ensure that all foreign forces, alongside mercenaries, have left the country for at least three months.

All military forces and armed groups at the trenches are expected to retreat back to their camps, the UN's envoy to Libya, Stephanie Williams added.

[60][61][62] The eastern city of Benghazi witnessed the landing of the first commercial passenger flight from Tripoli on the same day, which had not happened for over a year and is perceived to be an indication of success of the deal.

[64] However, the election has been delayed several times[65][66][67] since, effectively rendering the unity government in power indefinitely, causing tensions which threaten to reignite the war.

[68] On 3 March 2022 a rival Government of National Stability (GNS) was installed in Sirte, under the leadership of Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha.

The GNU is considered to be the internationally-recognized government and has mainly been backed by Turkey whereas the GNS has been supported by the House of Representatives and the Libyan National Army.

On 28 June 2024, it was reported that the Libyan National Army deployed large forces on the border with Algeria and demanded to transfer 32 thousand square kilometres of disputed territories under its control, and in case of refusal - threatened with military solution of the issue.

[80] In spite of the crisis, Libya maintains one of the highest human development index (HDI) rankings among countries in Africa.