Military history of Libya
Encyclopedia
The Military History of Libya covers the period from the ancient era to the modern age.
ns and Carthaginians
, the armies of Alexander the Great and his Ptolemaic
successors from Egypt, then Romans
, Vandals, and local representatives of the Byzantine Empire
ruled all or parts of Libya. The territory of modern Libya had separate histories until Roman times, as Tripolitania
and Cyrenaica
.
In the time of Julius Caesar
the Romans united for the first time what later became Libya. Their legions dominated the North Africa area and brought five centuries of relative peace and progress to coastal Libya.
Roman influence was huge in Tripolitania
, where the main city (Leptis Magna
) was home to one of the most illustrius Roman Emperors, Septimius Severus
.
In those five centuries of Roman domination the area around Oea, Sabratha
and Leptis Magna enjoyed good agriculture and commerce, and was defended by the Limes Tripolitanus
.
Cyrenaica
, by contrast, was Greek before it was Roman. It was also known as Pentapolis
, the "five cities" being Cyrene
(near the village of Shahhat) with its port of Apollonia (Susa
), Arsinoe (Taucheira), Berenice (Benghazi) and Barca (Marj). From the oldest and most famous of the Greek colonies the fertile coastal plain took the name of Cyrenaica.
The Legio III Augusta
was in control of coastal Libya during the Roman Empire
, and by the third century was made partially of Libyan natives. Romans, in order to defend coastal Libya, made war against the Garamantes
(living in actual Fezzan
) and made expeditions to the desert area south of Libya.
an army of 40,000, led by Abdullah ibn Saad
penetrated into western Libya. Tripoli was taken from the Byzantines, followed by Sufetula. The campaign lasted fifteen months, after which Abdallah's force returned to Egypt
after Gregory
's successor Gennadius promised them an annual tribute of some 330,000 nomismata.
occupied Tripoli in 1510. Because the Spaniards were concerned with controlling the port instead of administering a colony, Charles V
took Tripoli and in 1528 gave it to the Knights of St John of Malta.
In 1538 Tripoli was reconquered by a pirate king called Khair ad-Din and the coast became renowned as the Barbary Coast
. The Ottomans arrived to occupy Tripoli in 1551, they saw little reason to rein in the region. It would be more than two centuries before the pirates' control of the region was challenged.
The Barbary Wars
was a series of military conflicts between the North African States
and the United States
. The sovereign authorities in these states demanded that all ships crossing or using their harbors pay duties and tax when traveling in their sovereign waters in the Mediterraneans sea. When the United States refused to pay, merchant vessels were seized by local Tripolitanian authorities and the crew was held for trial for trespassing.
The United States government responded by deploying its navy to region along with the Marines to combat the North African state of Tripolitania. This was the first overseas conflict of the United States. Both Barbary Wars
resulted in American victories. Some Libyans claim "victory" as the ship Philadelphia was deceived and lured, then captured by Libyans. They cite continued harbor duty payments as evidence. The Philadelphia stayed until 1805 when the matter was resolved.
was a Colonial War fought between the Ottoman Empire
and Italy
from September 29, 1911 to October 18, 1912. Italy seized the Ottoman provinces of Tripolitania
and Cyrenaica
, together forming what (later in 1934) became known as Libya
.
Some Libyans believe that the Ottoman Empire "sold" Libya at the treaty of Lousanne in order to survive a few years more.
Libyan resistance was fierce and one of the top leaders was Sa'adon Al Swehli, but some Libyans fought on the Italian side.
, Omar Mukhtar
organized and devised strategies for the Libyan resistance against the Italian colonization. Mukhtar was skilled in desert tactics. He knew his country’s geography and used that knowledge to his advantage in battles against the Italians. Mukhtar led his guerrilla fighters in some successful attacks against the Italians. His twenty year struggle came to an end when he was wounded in battle and captured by the Italian army with the help of Libyan colonial troops. Mukhtar was tried, convicted, and sentenced to be executed by hanging in a public place.
Italian forces were able to erase the remaining resistance and even create the Italian Libyan Colonial Division
with native Libyans, that fought for Italy in the 1936 conquest of Ethiopia
and received a "Gold Medal of Honor" for distinguished performance in battle . Other Libyan forces in the Italian Army included the Savari
.
from 1940 to 1943. There were two divisions of Arab-Berber troops (1st Libyan Division Sibelle and 2 Libyan Division Pescatori
) that fought in World War II
for the Fourth Shore of Italy. Even a battalion of Arab Libyan paratroopers was raised shortly before World War II, the first force of this kind to be created in all Africa
. They trained in Castel Benito
, near Tripoli
, where the first "Italian Military Parachute School" was located (the first troops trained were two Libyan battalions, the Libyan Parachute Battalion and the 1st National Libyan Parachute Battalion, of the Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali della Libia (Royal Colonial Corps).
During World War II
, the Senussi
Idris supported the United Kingdom
and brought some Cyrenaican nationalists to support the Allies against the Axis, which had occupied Libya. With the defeat of the German-Italian Army
under Erwin Rommel
, Idris
was able to return to Benghazi
: in 1951 was proclaimed King of Libya.
in neighbouring states, King Idris maintained close ties with the United Kingdom
and the United States
, even after they intervened against Egypt during the 1956 Suez Crisis
On September 1, 1969, a small group of military officers led by Muammar al-Gaddafi
staged a coup against King Idris. The new regime headed by the Revolutionary Command Council
(RCC), abolished the monarchy and proclaimed Libyan a republic.
was the fourth major conflict between Israel
and the neighboring Arab States. Libya was among the many Arab nations to contribute to the war with both military and financial aid. During the Yom Kippur War
, Libya sent squadrons of Mirage
fighters and gave Egypt
around $1 billion in arms.
was a border war between Libya and Egypt in July 1977. Tensions between the two countries had increased during April and May as demonstrators attacked the embassies of both countries. On July 21, 1977 gun battles between troops on the border began, followed by land and air attacks. A ceasefire was agreed to on July 24. Libyan casualties were 400 dead or wounded while Egyptian casualties were 100 dead or wounded.
, Muammar al-Gaddafi sent 3,000 troops to aid Amin government
. However the Libyans soon found themselves on the front line, while behind them Ugandan Army units were using supply trucks to retreat. Tanzanian and UNLA forces met little resistance and invaded Uganda.
In the Gulf of Sidra incident
(actually two events, one in 1981 and another in 1989), fighters from the United States Navy F-14 Tomcats
engaged in combat against fighters from the Libyan Air Force
. During both events the United States Navy F-14 Tomcats
defeated the Libyan Air Force
.
In the first Gulf of Sidra incident (1981)
, two United States Navy F-14 Tomcats
from the USS Nimitz engaged and shot down two Libyan
Su-22s off of the Libyan coast.
The second Gulf of Sidra incident
occurred in 1989 when two United States Navy F-14 Tomcats
shot down two Libyan MiG-23s that appeared to be attempting to engage them.
The 1986 Bombing of Libya was probably related to these incidents. Gaddafi survived because he was pre-informed by Italian prime minister Bettino Craxi
.
.
The Chadian government had the support of the French, and rival Chadian factions who united against the Libyan army. In the final Toyota war
Libya was defeated. According to American sources Libya lost 7,500 men and 1.5 billion dollars in military equipment.
was a major conflict in Africa between 1998 and 2003. It was one of the bloodiest conflicts in modern history.
During the Second Congo War
, Libya supported the Democratic Republic of the Congo
by providing planes that transported soldiers from Chad to the region.
Classical Era
In ancient times, the PhoeniciaPhoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
ns and Carthaginians
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
, the armies of Alexander the Great and his Ptolemaic
Ptolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
successors from Egypt, then Romans
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Vandals, and local representatives of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
ruled all or parts of Libya. The territory of modern Libya had separate histories until Roman times, as Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
and Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
.
Roman Empire
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
the Romans united for the first time what later became Libya. Their legions dominated the North Africa area and brought five centuries of relative peace and progress to coastal Libya.
Roman influence was huge in Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
, where the main city (Leptis Magna
Leptis Magna
Leptis Magna also known as Lectis Magna , also called Lpqy, Neapolis, Lebida or Lebda to modern-day residents of Libya, was a prominent city of the Roman Empire. Its ruins are located in Khoms, Libya, east of Tripoli, on the coast where the Wadi Lebda meets the sea...
) was home to one of the most illustrius Roman Emperors, Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus , also known as Severus, was Roman Emperor from 193 to 211. Severus was born in Leptis Magna in the province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through the customary succession of offices under the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. Severus seized power after the death of...
.
In those five centuries of Roman domination the area around Oea, Sabratha
Sabratha
Sabratha, Sabratah or Siburata , in the Zawiya District in the northwestern corner of modern Libya, was the westernmost of the "three cities" of Tripolis. From 2001 to 2007 it was the capital of the former Sabratha wa Sorman District. It lies on the Mediterranean coast about west of Tripoli...
and Leptis Magna enjoyed good agriculture and commerce, and was defended by the Limes Tripolitanus
Limes Tripolitanus
The Limes Tripolitanus was a frontier zone of defence of the Roman Empire, built in the south of what is now Tunisia and the northwest of Libya. It was primarily intended as a protection for the tripolitanian cities of Leptis Magna, Sabratha and Oea in Roman Libya.-History:The Limes Tripolitanus...
.
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
, by contrast, was Greek before it was Roman. It was also known as Pentapolis
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
, the "five cities" being Cyrene
Cyrene, Libya
Cyrene was an ancient Greek colony and then a Roman city in present-day Shahhat, Libya, the oldest and most important of the five Greek cities in the region. It gave eastern Libya the classical name Cyrenaica that it has retained to modern times.Cyrene lies in a lush valley in the Jebel Akhdar...
(near the village of Shahhat) with its port of Apollonia (Susa
Susa, Libya
Susa or Soussa is a town and seaside resort in the District of Jabal al Akhdar in north-eastern Libya. Susa stands by the ruins of Apollonia, Cyrenaica.The town contains the Apollonia Museum. It is located about 30 km northeast of Bayda....
), Arsinoe (Taucheira), Berenice (Benghazi) and Barca (Marj). From the oldest and most famous of the Greek colonies the fertile coastal plain took the name of Cyrenaica.
The Legio III Augusta
Legio III Augusta
Legio tertia Augusta was raised in the year 43 BCE most likely by the consul Gaius Vibius Pansa and the emperor Augustus who served the Roman Empire in North Africa until at least the late 4th century CE. It is possible that it fought in the battle of Philippi against the murderers of Caesar...
was in control of coastal Libya during the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, and by the third century was made partially of Libyan natives. Romans, in order to defend coastal Libya, made war against the Garamantes
Garamantes
The Garamantes were a Saharan people who used an elaborate underground irrigation system, and founded a prosperous Berber kingdom in the Fezzan area of modern-day Libya, in the Sahara desert. They were a local power in the Sahara between 500 BC and 700 AD.There is little textual information about...
(living in actual Fezzan
Fezzan
Fezzan is a south western region of modern Libya. It is largely desert but broken by mountains, uplands, and dry river valleys in the north, where oases enable ancient towns and villages to survive deep in the otherwise inhospitable Sahara.-Name:...
) and made expeditions to the desert area south of Libya.
Islamic Conquest
In 647647
Year 647 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 647 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* A stone tower astronomical observatory named...
an army of 40,000, led by Abdullah ibn Saad
Abdullah ibn Saad
‘Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarḥ was the foster brother of Uthman. His father was Saad ibn Abi Sarh. Abdullah bin Sa'ad bin Abi'l Sarh built a strong Egyptian Arab navy. Under him the Muslim navy won a number of naval victories including its first major naval battle against Constans II at...
penetrated into western Libya. Tripoli was taken from the Byzantines, followed by Sufetula. The campaign lasted fifteen months, after which Abdallah's force returned to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
after Gregory
Gregory the Patrician
Gregory the Patrician was a Byzantine governor, and self-proclaimed Emperor of the province of Africa.-Career:Gregory the Patrician was related by blood to the Imperial House of Heraclius, through the Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II's cousin Nicetas. Gregory was appointed Exarch of Africa by the...
's successor Gennadius promised them an annual tribute of some 330,000 nomismata.
Spanish and Ottoman Conquest
By the 15th century Libya was a haven for pirates. Habsburg SpainHabsburg Spain
Habsburg Spain refers to the history of Spain over the 16th and 17th centuries , when Spain was ruled by the major branch of the Habsburg dynasty...
occupied Tripoli in 1510. Because the Spaniards were concerned with controlling the port instead of administering a colony, Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
took Tripoli and in 1528 gave it to the Knights of St John of Malta.
In 1538 Tripoli was reconquered by a pirate king called Khair ad-Din and the coast became renowned as the Barbary Coast
Barbary Coast
The Barbary Coast, or Barbary, was the term used by Europeans from the 16th until the 19th century to refer to much of the collective land of the Berber people. Today, the terms Maghreb and "Tamazgha" correspond roughly to "Barbary"...
. The Ottomans arrived to occupy Tripoli in 1551, they saw little reason to rein in the region. It would be more than two centuries before the pirates' control of the region was challenged.
Barbary Wars
Barbary Wars
The Barbary Wars were a series of wars between the United States of America and the Barbary States of North Africa in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At issue was the Barbary pirates' demand of tribute from American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. If ships failed to pay, pirates...
was a series of military conflicts between the North African States
Barbary Coast
The Barbary Coast, or Barbary, was the term used by Europeans from the 16th until the 19th century to refer to much of the collective land of the Berber people. Today, the terms Maghreb and "Tamazgha" correspond roughly to "Barbary"...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The sovereign authorities in these states demanded that all ships crossing or using their harbors pay duties and tax when traveling in their sovereign waters in the Mediterraneans sea. When the United States refused to pay, merchant vessels were seized by local Tripolitanian authorities and the crew was held for trial for trespassing.
The United States government responded by deploying its navy to region along with the Marines to combat the North African state of Tripolitania. This was the first overseas conflict of the United States. Both Barbary Wars
Barbary Wars
The Barbary Wars were a series of wars between the United States of America and the Barbary States of North Africa in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At issue was the Barbary pirates' demand of tribute from American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. If ships failed to pay, pirates...
resulted in American victories. Some Libyans claim "victory" as the ship Philadelphia was deceived and lured, then captured by Libyans. They cite continued harbor duty payments as evidence. The Philadelphia stayed until 1805 when the matter was resolved.
Italo-Turkish War
The Italo-Turkish WarItalo-Turkish War
The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Italy from September 29, 1911 to October 18, 1912.As a result of this conflict, Italy was awarded the Ottoman provinces of Tripolitania, Fezzan, and...
was a Colonial War fought between the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and 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...
from September 29, 1911 to October 18, 1912. Italy seized the Ottoman provinces of Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
and Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
, together forming what (later in 1934) became known as 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....
.
Some Libyans believe that the Ottoman Empire "sold" Libya at the treaty of Lousanne in order to survive a few years more.
Libyan resistance was fierce and one of the top leaders was Sa'adon Al Swehli, but some Libyans fought on the Italian side.
Resistance against Italy
After the Italian victoryItalo-Turkish War
The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Italy from September 29, 1911 to October 18, 1912.As a result of this conflict, Italy was awarded the Ottoman provinces of Tripolitania, Fezzan, and...
, Omar Mukhtar
Omar Mukhtar
Omar Mukhtar , of the Mnifa, was born in the small village of Janzour, near Tobruk in eastern Barqa in Libya. Beginning in 1912, he organized and, for nearly twenty years, led native resistance to Italian colonization of Libya. The Italians captured and hanged him in 1931...
organized and devised strategies for the Libyan resistance against the Italian colonization. Mukhtar was skilled in desert tactics. He knew his country’s geography and used that knowledge to his advantage in battles against the Italians. Mukhtar led his guerrilla fighters in some successful attacks against the Italians. His twenty year struggle came to an end when he was wounded in battle and captured by the Italian army with the help of Libyan colonial troops. Mukhtar was tried, convicted, and sentenced to be executed by hanging in a public place.
Italian forces were able to erase the remaining resistance and even create the Italian Libyan Colonial Division
Italian Libyan Colonial Division
The Libyan Division was a formation of colonial troops raised by the Italians in their colony in Libya. It participated in the invasion of Ethiopia in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. The formation was reorganized into the 1 Libyan Infantry Division Sibelle by the beginning of Italy's entry into...
with native Libyans, that fought for Italy in the 1936 conquest of Ethiopia
Second Italo-Abyssinian War
The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
and received a "Gold Medal of Honor" for distinguished performance in battle . Other Libyan forces in the Italian Army included the Savari
Savari
Savari was the designation given to the regular Libyan cavalry regiments of the Italian colonial army in Tripolitania and Cyrenaica. The word "savari" was derived from a Persian term for "horsemen" .-Organisation:...
.
World War II
More than 30,000 Lybians fought in the Italian ArmyItalian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
from 1940 to 1943. There were two divisions of Arab-Berber troops (1st Libyan Division Sibelle and 2 Libyan Division Pescatori
2 Libyan Division Pescatori
The 2 Libyan Division Pescatori was a Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II. In December 1940, it was in Libya part of the Italian XXIII Corps a together with the 1 Blackshirt Division 23 Marzo and 2 Blackshirt Division 28 Ottobre, took part in the Italian invasion of Egypt and...
) that fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for the Fourth Shore of Italy. Even a battalion of Arab Libyan paratroopers was raised shortly before World War II, the first force of this kind to be created in all Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. They trained in Castel Benito
RAF Castel Benito
RAF Castel Benito was a Royal Air Force station near Tripoli in Libya between 1943 and 1966.-History:Originally a Regia Aeronautica airfield where later the first units of Italian parachutists were trained and formed shortly before the Second World War. The first Italian Military Parachute...
, 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...
, where the first "Italian Military Parachute School" was located (the first troops trained were two Libyan battalions, the Libyan Parachute Battalion and the 1st National Libyan Parachute Battalion, of the Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali della Libia (Royal Colonial Corps).
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Senussi
Senussi
The Senussi or Sanussi refers to a Muslim political-religious order in Libya and the Sudan region founded in Mecca in 1837 by the Grand Senussi, Sayyid Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi. Senussi was concerned with both the decline of Islamic thought and spirituality and the weakening of Muslim political...
Idris supported the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and brought some Cyrenaican nationalists to support the Allies against the Axis, which had occupied Libya. With the defeat of the German-Italian Army
Panzer Army Africa
As the number of German armed forces committed to the North Africa Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps the Germans developed a more elaborate command structure and placed the now larger Afrika Korps, with Italian units under this new German command structure,...
under Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
, Idris
Idris I of Libya
Idris, GBE , , was the first and only king of Libya, reigning from 1951 to 1969, and the Chief of the Senussi Muslim order.- Early life :...
was able to return to Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
: in 1951 was proclaimed King of Libya.
Coup d'etat
To the chagrin of Arab nationalists at home and supporters of Pan-ArabismPan-Arabism
Pan-Arabism is an ideology espousing the unification--or, sometimes, close cooperation and solidarity against perceived enemies of the Arabs--of the countries of the Arab world, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Sea. It is closely connected to Arab nationalism, which asserts that the Arabs...
in neighbouring states, King Idris maintained close ties with the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, even after they intervened against Egypt during the 1956 Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
On September 1, 1969, a small group of military officers led by 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...
staged a coup against King Idris. The new regime headed by the Revolutionary Command Council
Revolutionary Command Council
Revolutionary Command Council may refer to:* Egyptian Revolutionary Command Council, body established to supervise Egypt after the 1952 Revolution* Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council, ultimate decision making body in Iraq before the 2003 invasion of Iraq...
(RCC), abolished the monarchy and proclaimed Libyan a republic.
Yom Kippur War
The 1973 Yom Kippur WarYom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
was the fourth major conflict between Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the neighboring Arab States. Libya was among the many Arab nations to contribute to the war with both military and financial aid. During the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
, Libya sent squadrons of Mirage
Dassault Mirage 5
The Dassault Mirage 5 is a supersonic attack aircraft designed in France by Dassault Aviation during the 1960s, and manufactured in France and a number of other countries. It was derived from Dassault's popular Mirage III fighter, and spawned several variants of its own.-Early development:The...
fighters and gave Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
around $1 billion in arms.
Libyan-Egyptian War
The Libyan-Egyptian WarLibyan-Egyptian War
The Egyptian–Libyan War was a short border war between Libya and Egypt in July, 1977.On July 21, 1977, there were first gun battles between troops on the border, followed by land and air strikes...
was a border war between Libya and Egypt in July 1977. Tensions between the two countries had increased during April and May as demonstrators attacked the embassies of both countries. On July 21, 1977 gun battles between troops on the border began, followed by land and air attacks. A ceasefire was agreed to on July 24. Libyan casualties were 400 dead or wounded while Egyptian casualties were 100 dead or wounded.
Uganda-Tanzania War
During the 1978 Uganda-Tanzania WarUganda-Tanzania War
The Uganda–Tanzania War was fought between Uganda and Tanzania in 1978–1979, and led to the overthrow of Idi Amin's regime...
, Muammar al-Gaddafi sent 3,000 troops to aid Amin government
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
. However the Libyans soon found themselves on the front line, while behind them Ugandan Army units were using supply trucks to retreat. Tanzanian and UNLA forces met little resistance and invaded Uganda.
Gulf of Sidra Incident
Gulf of Sidra incident
There were two Gulf of Sidra incidents:*Gulf of Sidra incident , US-Libyan air engagement over territorial claim, two Libyan jets shot down by F-14 Tomcats from USS Nimitz....
(actually two events, one in 1981 and another in 1989), fighters from the United States Navy F-14 Tomcats
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
engaged in combat against fighters from the Libyan Air Force
Libyan Air Force
The Libyan Air Force is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the 2011 Libyan civil war, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000, with an inventory of 374 combat capable aircraft operating from 13 military airbases in...
. During both events the United States Navy F-14 Tomcats
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
defeated the Libyan Air Force
Libyan Air Force
The Libyan Air Force is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the 2011 Libyan civil war, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000, with an inventory of 374 combat capable aircraft operating from 13 military airbases in...
.
In the first Gulf of Sidra incident (1981)
Gulf of Sidra incident (1981)
In the first Gulf of Sidra incident, 19 August 1981, two Libyan Su-22 Fitter attack aircraft were shot down by two American F-14 Tomcats off of the Libyan coast.-Background:...
, two United States Navy F-14 Tomcats
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
from the USS Nimitz engaged and shot down two Libyan
Libyan
A Libyan is a person or thing of, from, or related to Libya in North Africa.The term Libyan may also refer to:* A person from Libya, or of Libyan descent. For information about the Libyan people, see Demographics of Libya and Culture of Libya. For specific persons, see List of Libyans.* Libyan...
Su-22s off of the Libyan coast.
The second Gulf of Sidra incident
Gulf of Sidra incident
There were two Gulf of Sidra incidents:*Gulf of Sidra incident , US-Libyan air engagement over territorial claim, two Libyan jets shot down by F-14 Tomcats from USS Nimitz....
occurred in 1989 when two United States Navy F-14 Tomcats
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
shot down two Libyan MiG-23s that appeared to be attempting to engage them.
The 1986 Bombing of Libya was probably related to these incidents. Gaddafi survived because he was pre-informed by Italian prime minister Bettino Craxi
Bettino Craxi
Benedetto Craxi was an Italian politician, head of the Italian Socialist Party from 1976 to 1993, the first socialist President of the Council of Ministers of Italy from 1983 to 1987.-Political career:...
.
Chadian-Libyan conflict
The Chadian-Libyan conflict was related to the possession of the Aouzou Strip and was marked by a series of four separate Libyan interventions in Chad. Libyan leader Gaddafi had the support of a number of factions participating in the civil warChadian Civil War
The Transitional Government of National Unity was the coalition government of armed groups that nominally ruled Chad from 1979 to 1982, during the most chaotic phase of the long-running civil war that began in 1965. The GUNT replaced the fragile alliance led by Félix Malloum and Hissène Habré,...
.
The Chadian government had the support of the French, and rival Chadian factions who united against the Libyan army. In the final Toyota war
Toyota War
The Toyota War is the name commonly given to the last phase of the Chadian–Libyan conflict, which took place in 1987 in Northern Chad and on the Libyan-Chadian border. It takes its name from the Toyota pickup trucks used as technicals to provide mobility for the Chadian troops as they fought...
Libya was defeated. According to American sources Libya lost 7,500 men and 1.5 billion dollars in military equipment.
Second Congo War
The Second Congo WarSecond Congo War
The Second Congo War, also known as Coltan War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , and officially ended in July 2003 when the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took power; however, hostilities continue to this...
was a major conflict in Africa between 1998 and 2003. It was one of the bloodiest conflicts in modern history.
During the Second Congo War
Second Congo War
The Second Congo War, also known as Coltan War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , and officially ended in July 2003 when the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took power; however, hostilities continue to this...
, Libya supported the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
by providing planes that transported soldiers from Chad to the region.