This August marks thirteen years since pike of civilian fatalities in Libya
Date
8/29/2024 8:29:46 AM
(MENAFN) This August marks thirteen years since the peak of civilian casualties in Libya during NATO’s air campaign against the government of Muammar Gaddafi. The conflict, which saw the death of Gaddafi on October 20, 2011, has left a lasting legacy of unresolved grief and unanswered questions for Libyan families.
During the NATO intervention, civilians in at least six Libyan cities—Tripoli, Zlitin, Majuer, Bani Walid, Sirte, and Adjdabia—were caught in the crossfire, resulting in significant loss of life among women and children. Despite the gravity of these incidents, neither NATO nor the successive Libyan governments have formally acknowledged these civilian deaths or provided explanations for them. The families of the victims continue to seek answers about why their loved ones were killed and who was responsible for their deaths.
The unrest in Libya began on February 15, 2011, with small-scale protests in eastern cities such as Al Bayda and Derna. These demonstrations quickly escalated, culminating in Benghazi and spreading to other regions, including Tripoli, Misrata, and Zawia. Initially sparked by calls for political reform, the demonstrations soon transformed into an armed rebellion. Many of the rebels were former terrorists who had crossed into Libya from other countries, and they began attacking police stations and military bases.
The Gaddafi regime's response involved a mix of counter-demonstrations and varying degrees of force. In Benghazi, the regime used limited force, but elsewhere, it employed more aggressive tactics, including live ammunition, in an effort to suppress what it perceived as a serious threat to national stability.
The unrest in Libya was part of a larger wave of political upheaval that swept through the Arab world, inspired by similar events in Tunisia and Egypt. Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was forced to flee to Saudi Arabia, where he passed away in 2019, while Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned amid widespread protests.
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