- Cyrenaican desert campaign
-
Cyrenaican Desert Campaign Part of 2011 Libyan civil war Date 3 April 2011 – 12 June 2011 Location Eastern Libyan Desert, Libya Result Anti-Gaddafi victory Belligerents 
Anti-Gaddafi forces
Gaddafi Loyalists
Commanders and leaders Saleh Muhammad al-Zaruq[1]
Abdullah Aitha[2]Belqasem Al-Abaaj Casualties and losses 25 killed At least 3 killed 5 civilians killed Timeline (main article)
1st Benghazi – 1st Tripoli clashes – Misrata – 1st Zawiya – Nafusa Mountains (Wazzin – Gharyan) – 1st Brega – Ra's Lanuf – Bin Jawad – 2nd Brega – Ajdabiya – 2nd Benghazi – 1st Gulf of Sidra offensive – 3rd Brega – Brega–Ajdabiya – Cyrenaican desert – Misrata frontline (Taworgha – Zliten) – Zliten uprising – Sabha clashes – Zawiya raid – 4th Brega – Fezzan desert (Sabha) – Msallata clashes – Rebel coastal offensive (2nd Zawiya – Ras Ajdir – Tripoli) – 2nd Gulf of Sidra offensive (Sirte) – Bani Walid – Ra's Lanuf raid – Ghadames raid – 2nd Tripoli clashes
Feb–18 Mar - 19 Mar–May - Jun–15 Aug - 16 Aug–OctThe Cyrenaican desert campaign was a military campaign conducted by the Libyan military in the form of hit-and-run attacks against rebel-held towns and oil facilities in the eastern Libyan Desert that began in April 2011, during the 2011 civil war. The campaign failed in denying anti-Gaddafi forces control of southern Cyrenaica.
Campaign
On 3 April, the security chief for the Kufra region, Saleh Muhammad al-Zaruq, declared his, and his troops, support for the rebels and broke off from the Gaddafi government, taking control of the area.[1]
On 4 April, loyalist forces blew up a crucial water pipeline near Jalu in an attempt to cut water supplies for rebel-held east Libya. However, during the process, they also inadvertently destroyed part of the pipeline system supplying west Libya as well as the east.[3]
On 6 April, the Gaddafi government stated that a NATO air-strike on the Sarir oil field left three oil facility security guards dead.[4] However, the rebels, which were already in control of the oil field per some reports, claimed that it was not a NATO but a loyalist ground attack.[5]
On 21 April, a convoy of nine loyalist vehicles attacked the rebel-held al-Boster oil facility in the Libyan desert, about 300 kilometres (190 mi) south west of Tobruk. Eight of the nine rebels that were stationed at the pumping station were killed in the attack while the ninth managed to escape while seriously wounded.[6]
On 28 April, loyalist forces entered the town of Kufra, also called Al Jawf, which is the capital of the Kufra District and re-took control of the town from the rebels. The opposition forces put up only light resistance and retreated almost immediately. After that, a convoy of government troops in 50-60 pick-up trucks drove into the city centre and raised the green flag in front of the town's court house. Three people were killed during the initial shelling of Kufra, according to the pro-rebel Brnieq newspaper website.[7]
On 30 April, government troops advanced further north to the town of Jalu, which is just south of the frontline town of Ajdabiya. The military convoy ran through the town opening fire and killing at least 10 people, at least five of them opposition fighters.[8] Three pro-Gaddafi soldiers were killed during the fighting. The convoy than proceeded to the city's northern outskirts and divided into two groups, each positioning itself for the night at Jalu's two oil facilities.[9]
On 1 May, rebels claimed that NATO aircraft hit and destroyed 45 loyalist vehicles while the government military convoy was leaving Jalu.[10] However, NATO made no mention of the convoy destruction during its daily operational update for 1 May,[11] and no NATO or independent confirmation of the claim or the attack was established.
On 6 May, loyalist forces attacked a rebel checkpoint between Jalu and Kufra, killing six rebel fighters. The next day, loyalists conducted a hit-and-run attack against Jalu and the smaller oasis town of Ojla. The rebels also claimed to have re-taken Kufra, but loyalist forces were still in the surrounding area.[12]
On 25 May, rebel forces attacked government troops near Kufra, destroying a weapons-laden vehicle. They claimed that the loyalist force was composed of Sudanese mercenaries.[13]
On 12 June, the last loyalist raid against rebel positions occurred when a force of government troops attacked the Mislah and Sarir oil fields. On 1 July, The Daily Telegraph reported that, mid-June, a Sudanese military force crossed the Libyan border and took control of Kufra and the nearby military base. They had also surrounded the oil fields, but did not appear to be disrupting efforts to resume oil production. Still, the oil fields had suffered extensive damage due to loyalist raids and time was needed to repair them. The fate of the rebel contingent in Kufra was unknown.[14] Sudan later denied any military involvement in Libya.[15]
By 27 June, it was reported loyalist forces were still holding strategic points near Kufra.[16]
Aftermath
Main article: Fezzan campaignIn July 2011, National Liberation Army brigades out of Kufra reportedly seized control of much of Murzuq District in the Fezzan and threatened to march on Sabha.[17]
References
- ^ a b Kufra’s Security Chief Joined The Libyan Revolutionaries !
- ^ Libyan rebels: NATO bombs camel weapons caravan
- ^ Gaddafi forces cut access to oil and water
- ^ "Libya says NATO air strike hits major oil field". Reuters. April 6. http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE7352B620110406.
- ^ Rebels say Gaddafi, not British, attacked oilfield
- ^ "Eight rebels killed in attack on Libyan oil pumping station". CNN. April 24 2011. http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/04/23/libya.attack/index.html?hpt=T1.
- ^ "Libyan forces overrun rebels on Tunisian border". April 28 2011. http://www.globalnews.ca/world/Libyan+forces+overrun+rebels+Tunisian+border/4697647/story.html.
- ^ "Deadly Gaddafi assault on Libyan oasis town: Rebels". May 1 2011. http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_663424.html.
- ^ "Gaddafi assault on Libyan oasis town". April 30 2011. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10722695&ref=rss.
- ^ "NATO air strike destroyed a convoy of 45 Gaddafi vehicles near Jalu". May 1 2011. http://english.libya.tv/2011/05/01/nato-air-strike-destroyed-a-convoy-of-45-gaddafi-vehicles-near-jalu/.
- ^ "Update: NATO activities in Libya on May 2". May 2 2011. http://www.acus.org/natosource/update-nato-activities-libya-may-2.
- ^ "Gaddafi steps up attacks across Libya: rebels". May 7 2011. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/1127456/1/.html.
- ^ Libyan rebels, Sudan mercenaries clash
- ^ Sudanese army seizes southern Libyan town
- ^ Sudan repudiates reports on occupying Libyan town
- ^ Marshalling Libya's oil supplies key to Qaddafi's downfall
- ^ "Rebels Move Toward Gadhafi Stronghold". Wall Street Journal. 20 July 2011. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904233404576458154035344420.html.
2011 Libyan civil war Part of the Arab Spring · Timeline (15 February–18 March · 19 March–31 May · June–15 August · 16 August–23 October)Forces Anti-Gaddafi forces (National Liberation Army – Free Libyan Air Force – NCLO) • Military of Libya (Libyan Army – Libyan Air Force – Libyan Navy) • Revolutionary Guard CorpsBattles CyrenaicaFirst Battle of Benghazi • First Battle of Brega • Battle of Ra's Lanuf • Battle of Bin Jawad • Second Battle of Brega • Battle of Ajdabiya • Second Battle of Benghazi • First Gulf of Sidra offensive • Third Battle of Brega • Battle of Brega–Ajdabiya road • Cyrenaica campaign • Fourth Battle of Brega • Ra's Lanuf raidFezzanSabha clashes • Fezzan campaign • Battle of Sabha • Ghadames raidTripolitaniaFirst Tripoli clashes • Battle of Misrata • First Battle of Zawiya • Nafusa Mountain Campaign (Battle of Wazzin • Battle of Gharyan) • Battle of the Misrata frontline (Zliten uprising • Battle of Zliten • Battle of Taworgha) • Zawiya raid • Msallata clashes • Rebel coastal offensive (Second Battle of Zawiya) • Ras Ajdir clashes • Battle of Tripoli • Second Gulf of Sidra offensive (Battle of Sirte) • Battle of Bani Walid • Second Tripoli clashes
NATO operations People Anti-GaddafiMustafa Abdul Jalil • Mahmoud Jibril • Abdul Fatah Younis • Abdul Hafiz Ghoga • Suleiman Mahmoud • Omar El-Hariri • Jalal al-Digheily • Khalifa Belqasim Haftar • Ali Tarhouni • Ali Abd-al-Aziz al-Isawi • Fathi Terbil • Abdelhakim Belhadj • Abu Oweis • Mahdi al-HaratiPro-GaddafiNATOOthersMohammed Nabbous • Iman al-Obeidi • Prince Mohammed El Senussi • Prince Idris bin Abdullah al-Senussi • Hussein Sadiq al MusratiPlaces, buildings
and structuresAbu Salim prison • Bab al-Azizia • Fist Crushing a U.S. Fighter Plane Sculpture • Giuliana Bridge • Green Square/Martyrs' Square • Maydan al Shajara • Mitiga International Airport • People's Hall, Tripoli • Rixos Al NasrImpact Casualties • Domestic responses (Gaddafi's response to the protests – Gaddafi's response to the civil war) • Human rights violations (Rape allegations) • Humanitarian situation (Refugees) • International reactions (International reactions to military intervention – Protests against military intervention – U.S. reactions to military intervention – International reactions to Gaddafi's death)Other Democratic Party (Libya) • Libyan Freedom and Democracy Campaign • Media • National Transitional Council • Topple the Tyrants • United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 • United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 • United Nations Security Council Resolution 2009 • United Nations Security Council Resolution 2016 • Voice of Free Libya • Zenga ZengaItalics denote operations or battles related to the military intervention in Libya
Category · 
Commons · 
Wikinews · 
WikiquotesCategories:- Battles of the 2011 Libyan civil war
- Battles involving Libya
- Conflicts in 2011
- Kufra District
- Cyrenaica
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
