Battle of Ajdabiya

Battle of Ajdabiya
Part of the Libyan Civil War
Date15–17 March 2011 (First phase)
21–26 March 2011 (Second phase)
Location
Ajdabiya, Libya
30°45′20″N 20°13′31″E / 30.75556°N 20.22528°E / 30.75556; 20.22528
Result Pro-Gaddafi victory in the first phase[5]
Anti-Gaddafi victory in the second phase[6]
Belligerents

Libya Anti-Gaddafi forces

United Nations UNSC Resolution 1973 forces[1]

Gaddafi Loyalists

Strength
Saaiqa 36 Battalion
Several hundred volunteers
2 fighter jets
3 helicopters		 Four battalions (including some elements of the Khamis Brigade)
Air support (until 18 March)
Casualties and losses
136 killed,[7] 175 missing,[8] 250 wounded,*[9] at least 1 tank destroyed[10] 20 killed, 20 captured, 3 tanks destroyed, 4–7 tanks captured, 2 armed oil tankers sunk and 1 damaged (First phase, unconfirmed rebel claims)[11][12]
1 armed oil tanker damaged (First phase, independently confirmed)[13]
21 killed,[14] 6 captured, 24+ tanks, armored vehicles and mobile rocket launchers destroyed or captured[15] (Second phase)
25[16]–30[17] civilians killed
*Numbers of killed, missing or wounded on the rebel side include civilians

The Battle of Ajdabiya was an armed battle in and near the city of Ajdabiya that took place as part of the Libyan Civil War. It was fought between anti-government rebels and military forces loyal to the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Following the Second Battle of Brega, in which pro-Gaddafi forces captured the town, Ajdabiya was the only major rebel-held city left en route to the rebel capital of Benghazi. The battle for Ajdabiya had been cited as a potential turning point in the conflict on which the fate of the whole rebellion against the Gaddafi government may be decided.[18] On 26 March 2011, Libyan rebels, backed by extensive allied air raids, seized control of the frontline oil town of Ajdabiya from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces.[19] During the first phase of the battle, pro-Gaddafi forces seized the strategic road junction leading to Benghazi and Tobruk, and captured most of the city. The city centre remained in rebel hands but was surrounded by pro-government forces and cut off from outside assistance. After the second phase, anti-Gaddafi forces recaptured the road junction and cleared loyalist forces from the city, sending them retreating down the Libyan Coastal Highway towards Sirte.

  1. ^ "UN clears way for Libyan no-fly zone". 18 March 2011.
  2. ^ "Nato takes control of enforcing Libya no-fly zone". 25 March 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference RAF strike was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference US strike was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Libyan rebels sweep west through key oil centres, aided by international airstrikes - 1310News". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  6. ^ "Libya rebels recapture Ajdabiya". BBC News. 26 March 2011.
  7. ^ 30 bodies at the hospital on 17 March [1], 3 bodies at the western entrance to the city,[2] Archived 23 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine 2 killed on 18 March [3], 82 killed inside the city from 21 to 26 March,[4] 8 killed outside the city on 21 March,[5] 2 killed outside the city on 22 March,[6][7] 9 killed outside the city on 23 March,[8] total of 136 reported killed
  8. ^ "Libya Live Blog – 28 March". Archived from the original on 28 March 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  9. ^ Sherlock, Ruth (25 March 2011). "Fear and defiance as forces battle for Ajdabiya". Edinburgh: Scotsman.com News. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  10. ^ "Rebels battle to hold city under Gadhafi siege". Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  11. ^ "Rumors from an Encircled Town: The Fate of Ajdabiyah". Time. 15 March 2011. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  12. ^ "Rebel fighter jets 'sink Gaddafi warships'". 16 March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  13. ^ "Libye: les insurgés contrôlent Ajdabiya". 15 March 2011. Archived from the original on 16 March 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  14. ^ "Rebels seize key Libyan towns". Sky News. 27 March 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  15. ^ "Libya rebels recapture key town". BBC News. 26 March 2011. Archived from the original on 27 March 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  16. ^ "Four New York Times journalists missing in Libya". 16 March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  17. ^ "Libya: Gaddafi's Forces 'Attack Benghazi'". 17 March 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  18. ^ "The Libyan Rebels' Next Battle, in Ajdabiya, Will Be Decisive". The Daily Beast. 14 March 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  19. ^ Brown, Ben (26 March 2011). "Libya revolt: Rebels grab Ajdabiya from Gaddafi". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 March 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011.