Over the past two months, militias in Libya have been vying for power in the country’s biggest cities. Existing rival militias have become even more fractionalized and loyalties have both been strengthened and frayed.
The situation on the ground is completely different now than it was even six months ago and is confusing not only for the militias themselves, but for everyone trying to understand exactly what is going on in Libya.
An infographic based on our research, as well as think-tank data, explains how the loyalties among the militias in Libya are currently split geographically. We explain below the militias’ history and current status, as well as the affiliation to Abdoulgassim Khalifa Hifter, a former general in deposed dictator Muammar Ghadafi's armed forces who has been launching attacks against the current Libyan government and has played a promiment part in propelling the country into a new state of chaos.
1. Libyan National Army: The Libyan National Army came into the picture in February 2014, but started its offensive in May. Renegade General Hifter controls this group, which allegedly has 6,000 soldiers. It operates in the eastern part of the country, mostly in Benghazi. Hifter recruited and trained thousands of young Libyans from this area to fight government forces.
Military forces in the eastern part of Libya pledged allegiance to Hifter, including some of those who still have connections to the Libyan army, in May.
Hifter, along with 300 other men, was captured at the Battle of Maatan al-Sarra on Sept. 5, 1987, by Chadian military forces, during the war Libya waged in its southenr neighbor Chad. Following the capture, Gadhafi refused to admit that there were Libyans being held captive in Chad. Many of those captives formed an anti-Gadhafi insurgent group while in captivity, and named Hifter as the leader. It was during his captivity in Chad that Hifter's loyalty changed and he began a long-term fight to oust Gadhafi and take power.
2. Libya Shield: The Libyan Shield is a group of militias based in Benghazi. It reports to the Libyan Defense Ministry and is affiliated with the Libyan government. The group was attacked by Hifter during his offensive in May. It has four brigades across the country.
3. Al-Zintan Revolutionaries’ Military Council: The Al-Zintan Revolutionaries’ Military Council formed in 2011. The group brings together 23 militias in Zintan and the Nafusa Mountains in Western Libya. It played a role in the recent clashes at the Tripoli airport. The Zintan militias are some of the strongest in the country. The group controls Tripoli’s airport after taking it over during the fall of the capital in 2011. Rival militias tried to take over the airport this week, but failed.
4. Al-Qaqa Brigade: This group was formed by Libyans in the western part of the country who trained in the Zintan area during the revolution. It used to align with the National Congress and is known to have bases in Zintan and Tripoli. This group has officially announced its support of Hifter.
5. Al-Sawiq Brigade: The Al-Sawiq Brigade has strong connections to the Al-Qaqa Brigade and has also pledged allegiance to Hifter. The two groups said in a statement back in February that they wanted the Libyan parliament to step down.
6. Misrata Brigades: This is an umbrella group that formed in 2011. It was seen as a revolutionary militia and is Zintan’s main rival militia. It seized weapons from forces loyal to Ghadafi during the revolution. It was accused of war crimes by the UN’s International Commission of Inquiry on Libya.
7. 17 February Martyrs Brigade: Based in Benghazi, this Islamist militia is thought to have about 12 battalions. It fought against Gaddafi during the 2011 revolution and has a membership in the low thousands. It was linked to the events in the 2012 Benghazi attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens.
8. Ansar al-Sharia Brigade: Linked to al-Qaeda and currently in control of Camp 27, also known as Camp Younis, which was used by the U.S. for a counterterrorism training mission. The group is Islamist in nature and supports Sharia Law. It is thought to have played a part in the 2012 Benghazi attack. The group operates in Benghazi and Darnah.
No comments:
Post a Comment