LIBYA POST US INTERVENTION

 The rebels were about to be “extinguished”, completely surrounded with no means of escape. This was the highlight of events pre-dating the US intervention in the 2011 Libyan uprisings.

A little backstory here, Muammar Gaddafi has been the President of Libya for 41 years after a bloodless coup. He had toppled the monarchy of King Idris and had led the country since then.

Fast-forward to February 2011, the civil uprising which started in neighbouring Tunisia had spread to Libya. Violence was unleased with heavy fighting and the unrest soon degenerated into a civil war with the government forces on one side and the rebels taking up arms on the other side.

In the first series of US interventions, the government assets were frozen and the National Transitional Council formed by the rebel was recognised as the legitimate representative of Libya. By March 2011, a no-fly zone was imposed over Libya, backed by UN resolution 1973. Two days after the resolution, French fighter jets flew over Libya and fired the first shots at the government military armoured vehicles. This marked the beginning of the military interventions. The US, France, Italy and other allies fired missiles into Libya, hitting government forces positions and missile defence systems across the country. The airstrikes saved the rebels as they were on the brink of complete annihilation by the government forces - turning the tides of the civil war.

In October 2011, Gaddafi was killed in his hometown bringing the war to an end but this was just the beginning of descent into lawlessness.

After a short period of calmness, fighting erupted amongst rival militias struggling for control. Weapons proliferated spreading violence across the region and spilling into other African countries. In 2012, the first nationwide elections held. Same year the deadly US consulate attack occurred in Benghazi leaving the US ambassador dead.

Barely two years after the elections, parliamentary crisis left the country with two rival governments plunging the country into yet another civil war. The country was wrecked by yet another spate of instability and violence with the UN-recognized Government of National accord (GNA) and General Kalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) government with strongholds in the eastern cities.

2016 saw more storm added to the quagmire with ISIL totally controlling Sirte, the hometown of President Gaddafi. The city is geographically important for its seaports. The GNA was able to wrestled the control of the city after months of heavy fighting and lots of causalities. Adding to the mix was the emergence of slave markets. Thousands of African migrants ended up being sold and trafficked into Europe.

2021 marks the 10^th year since the beginning of the uprising skirmishes still continue and the country is fractured with different militias controlling segments of the country. Foreign powers hold sway over the country sometimes escalating the level of violence. For many Libyans, the country is off course and can be described as a failed state where basic responsibilities of government fail to function properly. With the December elections postponed, a lot of work is needed to make the country rise from the ashes and destruction once again.

Umar-Farouq Adebiyi