Mahdi al-Arabi, is a Libyan brigadier-general who served under the Libyan Armed Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.

[1] He was the deputy chief of staff of the Libyan army.

[2] During the 2011 Libyan civil war, he was put in charge of helping to suppress protests,[3] most notably in the Libyan city of Zawiya.

[4][5] On 21 August 2011, anti-Gaddafi forces reportedly arrested Arabi in Zawiya.

[6] A video purportedly of Arabi in detention was posted to YouTube on 11 September.