2012 Bani Walid uprising

2012 Bani Walid uprising
Part of the Factional violence in Libya (2011–2014)
Date23–25 January 2012
(2 days)
Location
Bani Walid, Libya
Result

Brigade 93 Tactical victory

  • Brigade 93 takes control of the city
  • May 28 Brigade withdraws from the city to Tripoli
  • NTC local council abolished and Warfalla tribal council established, which is then recognized by the NTC as the new official city council
  • Continuing lawlessness leads to the Siege of Bani Walid (2012) by the NTC Army and the city being reoccupied by the government by November 2012.
Belligerents

National Liberation Army

  • May 28 Brigade

Libya Brigade 93[1][2]

Commanders and leaders

Abdullah al-Khazmi Ali al-Fotmani

Abdelsalem Saed Ouhida †		 Colonel Salem al-Ouaer
Strength
5,000~ 100-300 Warfalla aligned fighters[3]
Casualties and losses
5-8 killed, 25-30 wounded[4][5] None

The 2012 Bani Walid uprising was an event which started on 23 January 2012 due to an incident in the city of Bani Walid in which the "May 28 Brigade" militia wished to arrest local men in unclear circumstances. The May 28 Brigade and their compound were then attacked by local fighters who then took control of the town.[3] The incident, the combatants, and the motives of the two main belligerents — the May 28 Brigade and Brigade 93 — remain uncertain and contentious. The conflict was originally reported to be an attack by Gaddafi loyalists by local NTC officials. However, tribal leaders and residents have denied any affiliation with Gaddafi's remnants, stating their goal was the establishment of their own council in the city.[6][7] Similarly Britain's Foreign Office has dismissed claims of this incident representing a pro-Gaddafi attack against the NTC, stating that this was a dispute between tribal leaders of the Warfalla tribe and the NTC.[8]

The Libyan government subsequently engaged in negotiations to re-establish normal relations with Bani Walid while maintaining a siege on the town, including a presidential visit to the town. Walid Ben Shaaban, a Libyan militia leader has stated "we will take revenge militarily but legitimately", referring to the security issues emanating from Bani Walid.[9] In October, more troops were sent to Bani Walid, with an aim of re-establishing control of the city by military means. Intense shelling of the town started on 18 October.[10]

  1. ^ "Nine Libyan forces killed in clashes with Qaddafi loyalists". Al Arabiya. 22 September 2012. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  2. ^ Qaddafi Loyalists Seize Bani Walid. Israelnationalnews.com (2012-01-24). Retrieved on 2012-09-30.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference afp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference norevolt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Pro-Gaddafi fighters retake Bani Walid". Al Jazeera. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference reuters24 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Libye: Bani Walid, ville nostalgique de Kadhafi". AFP (in French). 27 January 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
  8. ^ Lamloum, Imed (26 September 2012). "Libya's Misrata tense after Kadhafi catcher's death". Google News. Misrata. Agence France-Presse. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  9. ^ "Qaddafi loyalists take over Bani Walid". CBS News. Benghazi. Associated Press. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  10. ^ State-linked Libyan militias shell Bani Walid