Ma'tan as-Sarra
Encyclopedia
Ma'tan as-Sarra is an oasis
in the Al Kufrah
municipality in the southeast corner of Libya
. It is located in the Libyan Desert
, 200 miles southeast of Kufra
. A marginal oasis, with few palms and substandard water, it allowed the creation in 1811 of the last trans-Saharan caravan route
. However, it historically has been little visited by Toubou
and Zaghawa nomads.
In 1934, Ma'tan as-Sarra was turned over as part of the Sara Triangle to Italy
by the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium
, who considered the area worthless sand and a cheap appeasement to Benito Mussolini
's attempts at empire.
In 1972, Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
felt that Gaafar Nimeiry
of Sudan
had betrayed the Arab
cause by signing the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement ending the civil war
. He thus established a base at Ma'tan as-Sarra to stockpile weapons and as a staging area for Sudanese insurgents, who were trained at the bases at Joudaim
and Ma'sar Ra's near Tripoli
. In July 1976, one thousand followers of Sudanese opposition leader Sadiq al-Mahdi
left the oasis and stormed Khartoum
after crossing northern Darfur
and Kordofan. al-Mahdi's force was defeated only after a tank battalion struck into the city after three days of heavy fighting.
Libya also established Maaten al-Sarra Air Base
, which was heavily used during the Chadian-Libyan conflict (1978-1987). The base was subject to a highly successful raid
in September 1987 by the Chadian army
that contributed to the signing of a ceasefire the same month.
Oasis
In geography, an oasis or cienega is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source...
in the Al Kufrah
Al Kufrah
Kufra or Kofra , also spelled Cufra, is the largest district of Libya. Its capital is Al Jawf, one of the oases in Kufra basin. There is a very large oil refinery near the capital....
municipality in the southeast corner of Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. It is located in the Libyan Desert
Libyan Desert
The Libyan Desert covers an area of approximately 1,100,000 km2, it extends approximately 1100 km from east to west, and 1,000 km from north to south, in about the shape of a rectangle...
, 200 miles southeast of Kufra
Kufra
Kufra is a basin and oasis group in Al Kufrah District, southeastern Cyrenaica in Libya. Kufra is historically important above all because at the end of nineteenth century it became the center and holy place of the Senussi order...
. A marginal oasis, with few palms and substandard water, it allowed the creation in 1811 of the last trans-Saharan caravan route
Trans-Saharan trade
Trans-Saharan trade requires travel across the Sahara to reach sub-Saharan Africa. While existing from prehistoric times, the peak of trade extended from the 8th century until the late 16th century.- Increasing desertification and economic incentive :...
. However, it historically has been little visited by Toubou
Toubou
The Tubu are an ethnic group that live mainly in northern Chad, but also in Libya, Niger and Sudan....
and Zaghawa nomads.
In 1934, Ma'tan as-Sarra was turned over as part of the Sara Triangle to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
by the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan referred to the manner by which Sudan was administered between 1899 and 1956, when it was a condominium of Egypt and the United Kingdom.-Union with Egypt:...
, who considered the area worthless sand and a cheap appeasement to Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's attempts at empire.
In 1972, Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
felt that Gaafar Nimeiry
Gaafar Nimeiry
Gaafar Muhammad an-Nimeiry was the Nubian President of Sudan from 1969 to 1985...
of Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
had betrayed the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
cause by signing the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement ending the civil war
First Sudanese Civil War
The First Sudanese Civil War was a conflict from 1955 to 1972 between the northern part of Sudan and the southern Sudan region that demanded representation and more regional autonomy...
. He thus established a base at Ma'tan as-Sarra to stockpile weapons and as a staging area for Sudanese insurgents, who were trained at the bases at Joudaim
Joudaim
Joudaim is a town in Libya northeast of Zawiya, noted during the push of the National Liberation Army on their way to "27km" crossing, before entering Tripoli...
and Ma'sar Ra's near Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
. In July 1976, one thousand followers of Sudanese opposition leader Sadiq al-Mahdi
Sadiq al-Mahdi
Sadiq al-Mahdi is a Sudanese political and religious figure...
left the oasis and stormed Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
after crossing northern Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
and Kordofan. al-Mahdi's force was defeated only after a tank battalion struck into the city after three days of heavy fighting.
Libya also established Maaten al-Sarra Air Base
Maaten al-Sarra Air Base
The Maaten al-Sarra Libyan Air Force Base is an airbase in southernmost Libya located near the Ma'tan as-Sarra oasis in the Kufra district. It is one of the 13 military airbases in Libya....
, which was heavily used during the Chadian-Libyan conflict (1978-1987). The base was subject to a highly successful raid
Battle of Maaten al-Sarra
The battle of Maaten al-Sarra was a battle fought between Chad and Libya on September 5, 1987 during the Toyota War. The battle took the form of a surprise Chadian raid against the Libyan Maaten al-Sarra Air Base, meant to remove the threat of Libyan airpower, that had already thwarted the Chadian...
in September 1987 by the Chadian army
Military of Chad
The Military of Chad consists of the Armed Forces , Republican Guard, Rapid Intervention Force, Police, and National and Nomadic Guard...
that contributed to the signing of a ceasefire the same month.