Battle of Misrata (2011)

For the battle in 1912, see Battle of Misrata (1912).

Battle of Misrata
Part of the Libyan Civil War

Changes in frontlines during the Battle of Misrata
Date18 February – 15 May 2011
Location
Misrata, Libya
Result

Anti-Gaddafi victory

  • Rebels take full control of the entire city.
  • Port reopens after it was partially closed due to artillery fire and mines from 29 April to 9 May
  • All of the city's public utilities shut down
  • Rebels advance to Dafniya, west of Misrata, and the outskirts of Tawergha, south of Misrata
Belligerents

Libya Anti-Gaddafi forces

NATO command[2]

Libya Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Commanders and leaders
Libya Ibrahim Baitulmal[10]
Libya Nuri Abdullah Abdul latif[11]
Libya Salah Badi[12]
Libya Ali Attalah Obeidi †[13]		 Libya Khamis Gaddafi (from 12 March)
Libya Nabih Zayid[14]
Libya Albarrani Shkal[15]
Strength
3,000–5,000[16]

Hamza Brigade (initially)[17]
Khamis Brigade (since 12 March)[18]

  • 8,000
Casualties and losses
1,215 killed*[19]
900 missing or captured**[20]
4,000 wounded[21]
1+ tank destroyed[22]

358 killed[23]
150[24]-230[23] captured
24 tanks destroyed
(20 T-72s, 4 T-55s)
2 IFVs destroyed
1 Shilka destroyed
3 APCs destroyed
1 IMR-2 destroyed

1 helicopter shot down

32–44 tanks destroyed or damaged
1 Shilka destroyed
1 MRLs destroyed

6 Soko G-2 Galeb aircraft destroyed
2 attack helicopters destroyed

1 patrol boat destroyed
1 coast guard vessel damaged
1 patrol boat damaged
(by Coalition forces, UN/NATO claim)[25][26][27][28][29]
*The number of dead on the rebel side includes both opposition fighters and civilians, of which at least 358 have definitely been confirmed as rebels[30] and 707 as civilians,[31] among whom were 11 migrants,[32] 4 journalists[33] and 1 Ukrainian doctor[34]
**Of the missing and captured, 150 civilians were found dead in a mass grave in Tawargha in mid-August[35] and 5 in a grave near Misrata in early October[36] and 8 rebels were found in a grave in November 2012[37]
Destroyed loyalist BMP in Misrata

The battle of Misrata (Arabic: معركة مصراتة), also known as the siege of Misrata,[38] was a battle of the 2011 Libyan Civil War for the control of Misrata. It was fought between troops loyal to the government of Muammar Gaddafi, and anti-Gaddafi rebels who held Misrata, the third largest city in Libya. Following the initial stages of the uprising, the Libyan government retook most towns in the west of the country, leaving Misrata the only major city under rebel control in Tripolitania. The city soon became the site of one of the war's major battles and the suffering of its citizens gained worldwide attention.

The intensity of fighting, and its importance both strategic and symbolic, led to the battle being called 'Libya's Stalingrad'.[39][40] During the siege, the city saw very heavy fighting, came under daily assaults and shelling, and was at times cut off from its seaport, leaving no escape route for Misrata's inhabitants.[41] Following UN military intervention in the civil war, NATO declared that breaking the encirclement of the city was its top priority. It ranks as one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the entire war. In late April and early May, rebel counterattacks successfully retook the city, culminating in the fall of the airport and the nearby military airbase on 11 May.

  1. ^ Birtley, Tony (29 May 2011). "Libyan rebels continue their struggle". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 30 May 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2014. Archive does not have the video.
  2. ^ "Nato takes control of enforcing Libya no-fly zone". Dawn. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gadhafi's Warplane Shot Down by French Fighter Jets in Misrata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference AASM was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference airtom was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Canadian jets bomb Libyan target in first attack". The Globe and Mail. 23 March 2011.
  7. ^ "قتال بمصراتة وتحر جزائري عن مرتزقة". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  8. ^ "شاهد: مرتزقة يطلقون النار على متظاهرين في مصراتة". Elaph. 26 February 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  9. ^ Gwin, Peter (31 August 2011). "Former Qaddafi Mercenaries Describe Fighting in Libyan War". The Atlantic. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  10. ^ Bastian, Marc (3 May 2011). "Libya rebel city tense as Gadhafi ultimatum expires". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  11. ^ Burleigh, Marc (19 April 2011). "Misrata rebels officially plead for Western troops". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  12. ^ "Libya: rebels celebrate seizing Misurata airport". The Daily Telegraph. London. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  13. ^ "Rebels claim top Libyan general quit over kill orders". euronews. Archived from the original on 14 April 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  14. ^ Chris Stephen (21 July 2011). "Libyan rebels in Zlitan capture key government commander". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  15. ^ Stephen, Chris (29 August 2011). "Misrata rebels defy Libya's new regime". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  16. ^ "Snipers, cluster bombs panic Libya's Misrata". 18 April 2011. Archived from the original on 21 April 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  17. ^ "Libyan forces shoot protesters". Al Jazeera. 25 February 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference autogenerated1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ "Revisiting Misrata, After Tim and Chris". Time. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  20. ^ "Libya's rebel-held Misrata numbed by loss and trauma". BBC News. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  21. ^ "United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – OCH" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
  22. ^ "Dramatic video of fighting aftermath in Libyan airport". YouTube. Archived from the original on 1 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  23. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference nytimes.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ "Libyan rebels hand out rules on POW treatment; some 300 in custody, including 10 foreigners".[permanent dead link‍]
  25. ^ "Libye : point de situation opération Harmattan n°8". Ministère de la Défense et des anciens combattants. 26 March 2011.
  26. ^ "Libya: France jet destroys pro-Gaddafi plane". BBC. 24 March 2011. Archived from the original on 5 April 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  27. ^ "U.S. military attack three Libyan ships in Misrata". Reuters. 29 March 2011. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  28. ^ "Fighting rages in western Libyan city of Misrata; NATO expresses frustration on targets". Retrieved 19 April 2011.[permanent dead link‍]
  29. ^ "Pentagon Confirms First Predator Drone Strike in Libya". 23 April 2011. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  30. ^ 280 (18 February – 20 April),[1] 9 (21 April),[2] Archived 22 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine 25 (23 April),[3] 12 (27 April),[4] 7 killed (28 April),[5] 10 killed (29 April),[6][permanent dead link‍] 5 killed (30 April),[7] 2 killed (1 May),[8] 1 killed (3 May),[9] 5 killed (9–11 May),[10] 1 killed (13 May),[11] 1 killed (14 May),[12] total of 358 reported killed
  31. ^ "Rebel: Government forces, rebels clash in the Libyan city of Zawiya". CNN. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  32. ^ 5 Egyptian,[13] 1 Niger [14] Archived 6 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine and 5 Niger/Ghanaian [15] Archived 5 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine[16]
  33. ^ "Bodies of 2 Western Photojournalists Ferried Out of Libyan City". 21 April 2011.
  34. ^ Cite error: The named reference reuters1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  35. ^ "Rebels circle in on pivotal Zawiyah oil refinery". Television New Zealand. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  36. ^ Peter Beaumont (5 October 2011). "Libya mass grave discovered near Misrata". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  37. ^ "Thousands Still Missing in Post-Revolution Libya". Public Radio International. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  38. ^ "Hardened Misrata fighters took out fury on Gadhafi – World news – Mideast/N. Africa". NBC News. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2014.[dead link‍]
  39. ^ "The Independent: Misrata becomes Libya's Stalingrad". The Independent. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  40. ^ "Los Angeles Times: Misurata, proud of its role in Libya revolt, looks to the future (23 September 2011)". Los Angeles Times. 23 September 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  41. ^ "Eine Massenflucht hat eigentlich keine Chance". Deutschland Radio. 21 April 2011.