Second Battle of Zawiya
Encyclopedia
The Second Battle of Zawiya was a battle in the 2011 Libyan civil war
between rebel anti-Gaddafi forces
and forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi
for control of the Tripolitania
n city of Zawiya.
Rebel forces made an attempt to regain the city in mid-June, but this attempt was unsuccessful.
Holding Zawiya was a priority for the pro-Gaddafi forces, as the city lies on their coastal supply route and is a vital control city
on the route from Tripoli
to Tunisia
. It also is home to an important oil refinery, the only one in loyalist hands prior to the battle.
reported that among the rebel forces advancing on the city, a leading contingent were rebels from Zawiya who had fled to the mountains. The bulk of the opposition force advanced to a bridge on the southwestern outskirts before being hit by loyalist artillery fire. One group of rebels got through loyalist defensive lines in the western sector of the town, overrunning it, and pushed into the city center. At the same time, upon the entrance of the rebels into the streets of the city, they were cheered by some residents who came out of their homes to greet them, shouting "God is great". Some joined the rebels as fighters. A rebel spokesman asserted that the pro-Gaddafi forces' areas of control had been reduced to a couple of pockets, and that the rebels in the mountains could send supplies and reinforcements to Zawiya at any time since the road was open. After the rebels reached the main square, loyalist forces from the eastern part of Zawiya counter-attacked with a barrage of heavy weapons.
NATO conducted airstrikes in support of rebel forces. One strike hit a rebel tank in a friendly fire
incident, killing four.
By the evening, the Libyan government stated that a rebel force entered the city on a suicide mission but failed to take control of the town and that Zawiya was totally under government control. A rebel commander stated that opposition forces were almost a kilometer south of the city center, on the western side of the main road, while loyalist troops were on the east side. A Reuters reporter stated that gunfire could be heard on the outskirts of the city.
Reports were contradictory regarding the situation in the city. A Reuters reporter stated that the rebels held the city center with no signs of ongoing heavy fighting, though occasional gunfire could be heard. An Al Jazeera reporter stated that there was still ongoing fighting within the city, and the city center had not yet been taken.
Opposition forces claimed to control 70 percent of Zawiya, but loyalist snipers and sleeper cells remained in the city, and the rebels had not yet been able to clear them. The bulk of the pro-Gaddafi forces were reported to have retreated east towards Tripoli, though it was not immediately clear whether or not this was a strategic withdrawal. Rebels also feared a potential loyalist counteroffensive in the near future. Rebel forces captured several abandoned weapons, including ammunition, anti aircraft guns and anti tank artillery.
On 14 August, in the afternoon, an Al Jazeera reporter said that fighting was still ongoing and that the rebels had not taken the center of the city. A rebel commander told the AFP that they controlled the western and southern gate of Zawiya while government forces were controlling the east and the center of the town. He stated that they managed to push 3 km inside the city but were suffering high casualties due to fire from snipers, without giving a number. At 16:15, an Al Jazeera field reporter said that the rebels had taken control of a key highway running through Zawiya, the one that links Tunisia to Tripoli. Ongoing fighting was occurring in the southern Surnam district where loyalist forces had been shelling rebels with artillery from inside the city. A NATO spokeman said: “Nothing is certain yet and there is no confirmation about who has control of Zawiya because the situation changes every day.”
On 15 August, loyalist forces pushed back the rebels from the city center in a concentrated effort to block the rebel advance. 15 people were killed in an artillery strike, including a woman and a child. By the evening, the rebels claimed to hold 80 percent of Zawiya. They arrested 15 people they said were Africa
n mercenaries and Libyan Army
soldiers, though at least one alleged mercenary claimed he was an innocent Nigeria
n guest worker. Some fighters said they expected it would take some time to clear all the snipers from tall buildings inside the city. Some shelling continued, though rebel soldiers said fighting was getting closer to the loyalist-held oil facility. A rebel fighter CNN
described as "a source who has proven reliable in the past" said Gaddafi-loyal forces in Janzour
, a Tripoli
suburb just east of Zawiya, were pelting the city with Grad rockets, killing two, but NATO airstrikes had hit artillery positions in Janzour and the barrage had slowed.
On 16 August, a NATO spokesman said that rebels held the city center, but there were "reports of fighting also in the suburbs". Al Jazeera stated that the city center in Zawiya had been captured the day before. Loyalists were also still holding the refinery. Doctors who had escaped a hospital in eastern Zawiya held by Gaddafi's forces said their hospital was being used for military purposes, with snipers positioned on the roof and anti-aircraft artillery set up just outside the entrance. They said doctors and nurses had been held hostage and forced to operate continuously on wounded loyalist soldiers since the start of the battle.
On 17 August, rebel forces attempted to take control of the oil refinery from Gaddafi forces. They claimed to have shut down all oil pipelines to the capital. During the battle for the refinery complex, at least 100 Gaddafi loyalists, mostly Chadian mercenaries according to the rebels, were left defending the refinery after refusing to surrender despite being besieged. At least 200 rebel fighters were involved in the assault on the oil refinery. The rebels managed to capture the refinery's entrance gate area, but were unable to take the refinery thus far due to intense sniper fire from loyalist forces within the refinery. Al Jazeera had also confirmed from a rebel commander that the city center was still under loyalist control, refuting earlier NATO claims that the opposition had taken the center. The main loyalist sniper base was in the hotel at the main square. The oil refinery, according to rebels, fell into their hands sometime in the night, although small pockets of resistance from snipers remained inside the complex.
On 18 August, a Reuters reporter on the scene, as well as the BBC and Sky News confirmed that the refinery had been taken. It was announced that the Zawiya refinery would begin production again within days, this time for rebel forces. The rebel soldiers also gave their account of the refinery battle, saying that after performing a five-hour rear guard action, 100-150 loyalist soldiers had retreated via the sea using boats, at least one of which was targeted by a NATO warplane and subsequently sunk. NATO described the boat's actions as "repositioning" and "progressing towards another location [where] we believe they were going [sic] to make attacks on "civilians"."
On 19 August, rebel forces were able to take Martyrs' Square in central Zawiya, also capturing the hospital where a number of loyalist troops were based. However, pro-Gaddafi forces soon launched an intense counterattack with rockets, mortars and anti-aircraft guns.
By 20 August, rebels had taken full control of the city including the eastern parts, which was confirmed by journalists who were taken to former loyalists positions. Journalists said that fighting was still ongoing to the east of the city though and loyalist shelling of Zawiya continued. Al Jazeera
stated that fighting was still ongoing at the 27km Bridge east of the city (the 27km bridge is named as such because it is exactly 27km from Tripoli).
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
between rebel anti-Gaddafi forces
Anti-Gaddafi forces
The anti-Gaddafi forces were Libyan groups that opposed and militarily defeated the government of Muammar Gaddafi, killing him in the process. These opposition forces included organised and armed militia groups, participants in the 2011 Libyan civil war, Libyan diplomats who switched their...
and forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar 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...
for control of the Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
n city of Zawiya.
Background
Zawiya rose against Gaddafi on 24 February, and formed an important strategic obstacle to loyalists. Strong loyalist efforts were made to recover the city, and after withstanding two to three weeks of assault by two mechanized brigades (the Khamis and Hosban), the city fell on 10 March. This victory allowed loyalist forces to reconquer other rebel-held cities on the western Tripolitanian coast, including Zuwara.Rebel forces made an attempt to regain the city in mid-June, but this attempt was unsuccessful.
Holding Zawiya was a priority for the pro-Gaddafi forces, as the city lies on their coastal supply route and is a vital control city
Control city
A control city is a city or locality posted on a traffic sign indicating forward destinations on a certain route. These destinations aid motorists using the highway system to reach destinations along the various routes...
on the route from 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...
to Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. It also is home to an important oil refinery, the only one in loyalist hands prior to the battle.
The Battle
The Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that among the rebel forces advancing on the city, a leading contingent were rebels from Zawiya who had fled to the mountains. The bulk of the opposition force advanced to a bridge on the southwestern outskirts before being hit by loyalist artillery fire. One group of rebels got through loyalist defensive lines in the western sector of the town, overrunning it, and pushed into the city center. At the same time, upon the entrance of the rebels into the streets of the city, they were cheered by some residents who came out of their homes to greet them, shouting "God is great". Some joined the rebels as fighters. A rebel spokesman asserted that the pro-Gaddafi forces' areas of control had been reduced to a couple of pockets, and that the rebels in the mountains could send supplies and reinforcements to Zawiya at any time since the road was open. After the rebels reached the main square, loyalist forces from the eastern part of Zawiya counter-attacked with a barrage of heavy weapons.
NATO conducted airstrikes in support of rebel forces. One strike hit a rebel tank in a friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
incident, killing four.
By the evening, the Libyan government stated that a rebel force entered the city on a suicide mission but failed to take control of the town and that Zawiya was totally under government control. A rebel commander stated that opposition forces were almost a kilometer south of the city center, on the western side of the main road, while loyalist troops were on the east side. A Reuters reporter stated that gunfire could be heard on the outskirts of the city.
Reports were contradictory regarding the situation in the city. A Reuters reporter stated that the rebels held the city center with no signs of ongoing heavy fighting, though occasional gunfire could be heard. An Al Jazeera reporter stated that there was still ongoing fighting within the city, and the city center had not yet been taken.
Opposition forces claimed to control 70 percent of Zawiya, but loyalist snipers and sleeper cells remained in the city, and the rebels had not yet been able to clear them. The bulk of the pro-Gaddafi forces were reported to have retreated east towards Tripoli, though it was not immediately clear whether or not this was a strategic withdrawal. Rebels also feared a potential loyalist counteroffensive in the near future. Rebel forces captured several abandoned weapons, including ammunition, anti aircraft guns and anti tank artillery.
On 14 August, in the afternoon, an Al Jazeera reporter said that fighting was still ongoing and that the rebels had not taken the center of the city. A rebel commander told the AFP that they controlled the western and southern gate of Zawiya while government forces were controlling the east and the center of the town. He stated that they managed to push 3 km inside the city but were suffering high casualties due to fire from snipers, without giving a number. At 16:15, an Al Jazeera field reporter said that the rebels had taken control of a key highway running through Zawiya, the one that links Tunisia to Tripoli. Ongoing fighting was occurring in the southern Surnam district where loyalist forces had been shelling rebels with artillery from inside the city. A NATO spokeman said: “Nothing is certain yet and there is no confirmation about who has control of Zawiya because the situation changes every day.”
On 15 August, loyalist forces pushed back the rebels from the city center in a concentrated effort to block the rebel advance. 15 people were killed in an artillery strike, including a woman and a child. By the evening, the rebels claimed to hold 80 percent of Zawiya. They arrested 15 people they said were 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...
n mercenaries and Libyan Army
Libyan Army
In 2009 the IISS estimated that the Ground Forces of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya numbered 25,000 with an additional, estimated, 25,000 conscripts...
soldiers, though at least one alleged mercenary claimed he was an innocent Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n guest worker. Some fighters said they expected it would take some time to clear all the snipers from tall buildings inside the city. Some shelling continued, though rebel soldiers said fighting was getting closer to the loyalist-held oil facility. A rebel fighter CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
described as "a source who has proven reliable in the past" said Gaddafi-loyal forces in Janzour
Janzour
Janzur or Janzour , also known as Zanzur, is a town in the District of Jafara in north-western Libya, located 12 kilometers west of the capital Tripoli.-History:...
, a 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...
suburb just east of Zawiya, were pelting the city with Grad rockets, killing two, but NATO airstrikes had hit artillery positions in Janzour and the barrage had slowed.
On 16 August, a NATO spokesman said that rebels held the city center, but there were "reports of fighting also in the suburbs". Al Jazeera stated that the city center in Zawiya had been captured the day before. Loyalists were also still holding the refinery. Doctors who had escaped a hospital in eastern Zawiya held by Gaddafi's forces said their hospital was being used for military purposes, with snipers positioned on the roof and anti-aircraft artillery set up just outside the entrance. They said doctors and nurses had been held hostage and forced to operate continuously on wounded loyalist soldiers since the start of the battle.
On 17 August, rebel forces attempted to take control of the oil refinery from Gaddafi forces. They claimed to have shut down all oil pipelines to the capital. During the battle for the refinery complex, at least 100 Gaddafi loyalists, mostly Chadian mercenaries according to the rebels, were left defending the refinery after refusing to surrender despite being besieged. At least 200 rebel fighters were involved in the assault on the oil refinery. The rebels managed to capture the refinery's entrance gate area, but were unable to take the refinery thus far due to intense sniper fire from loyalist forces within the refinery. Al Jazeera had also confirmed from a rebel commander that the city center was still under loyalist control, refuting earlier NATO claims that the opposition had taken the center. The main loyalist sniper base was in the hotel at the main square. The oil refinery, according to rebels, fell into their hands sometime in the night, although small pockets of resistance from snipers remained inside the complex.
On 18 August, a Reuters reporter on the scene, as well as the BBC and Sky News confirmed that the refinery had been taken. It was announced that the Zawiya refinery would begin production again within days, this time for rebel forces. The rebel soldiers also gave their account of the refinery battle, saying that after performing a five-hour rear guard action, 100-150 loyalist soldiers had retreated via the sea using boats, at least one of which was targeted by a NATO warplane and subsequently sunk. NATO described the boat's actions as "repositioning" and "progressing towards another location [where] we believe they were going [sic] to make attacks on "civilians"."
On 19 August, rebel forces were able to take Martyrs' Square in central Zawiya, also capturing the hospital where a number of loyalist troops were based. However, pro-Gaddafi forces soon launched an intense counterattack with rockets, mortars and anti-aircraft guns.
By 20 August, rebels had taken full control of the city including the eastern parts, which was confirmed by journalists who were taken to former loyalists positions. Journalists said that fighting was still ongoing to the east of the city though and loyalist shelling of Zawiya continued. Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
stated that fighting was still ongoing at the 27km Bridge east of the city (the 27km bridge is named as such because it is exactly 27km from Tripoli).
NATO strikes
According to NATO's daily Operational Media Updates, the NATO strikes, during the offensive, hit:| 13 August-to-19 August NATO Strikes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Anti Aircraft Guns | Tanks | Vehicles | Other |
| 13 August | 0 | 1 Tanks | 0 | 0 |
| 14 August | 1 Anti Aircraft Gun | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 August | 0 | 3 Tanks | 1 Armored vehicle, 1 Technical | 0 |
| 17 August | 0 | 0 | 2 Technicals | 1 Military boat |
| 18 August | 0 | 5 Tanks | 2 Technicals | 1 Command and Control Node |
| 19 August | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 Artillery Piece |
| Total | 1 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
External links
- Libya: Rebels fight street battles in Zawiya on BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...