Derna, Libya

"Darnis" redirects here. For the insect genus, see Darnis (treehopper).
Derna
درنة
Overview of Derna
Derna is located in Libya
Derna
Derna
Location in Libya
Coordinates: 32°45′49″N 22°38′10″E / 32.76361°N 22.63611°E / 32.76361; 22.63611
Country Libya
RegionCyrenaica
DistrictDerna
Population
 (2023)
 • Total90,000[1]
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
License Plate Code10
Map

Derna (/ˈdɜːrnə/; Arabic: درنة Darnah) is a port city in eastern Libya. With a population of around 90,000,[1] Derna was once the seat of one of the wealthiest provinces among the Barbary States. The city is now the administrative capital of Derna District, which covers a much smaller area than the old province. Among Libyan cities, Derna has a unique location and physical environment, as it lies between the Jebel Akhdar (also known as Green Mountain), the Mediterranean Sea, and the desert and is the fourth most important port in Cyrenaica's northern coast after Benghazi, Bayda and Tobruk. The city is also home to people of many different backgrounds.

The city was the location of the famous Battle of Derna (1805), the first victory achieved by the United States Military on foreign soil. Occurring during the First Barbary War, the battle was fought between a force of roughly 500 US Marines and Mediterranean mercenaries and 4,000 or 5,000 Barbary troops.

Parts of the city were taken over by Islamic State (IS) militants in October 2014.[2] In June 2015, the Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna defeated IS and took control of the town, before being expelled themselves by the Libyan National Army in the Battle of Derna (2018–2019).

In September 2023, about a quarter of the city was wiped out by a catastrophic flood caused by the collapse of two dams over the Wadi Derna river against the backdrop of Storm Daniel, resulting in the death of thousands of its residents, although the death toll varies by source. Thousands more were either injured[3] and some 10,000 to 20,000[4] others were reported missing.[5][6][7]

As of 2024, reconstruction efforts were underway to rebuild roads, bridges and key infrastructure.[8][9]

  1. ^ a b "Whole families drowned in Libya's flood. Many didn't realize the danger until they heard dams burst". Associated Press News. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  2. ^ "The Islamic State of Libya Isn't Much of a State". Foreign Policy. 9 April 2015. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.(subscription required)
  3. ^ "Death toll hits 11,300 in Libyan city destroyed by floods". NBC News. 14 September 2023. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  4. ^ العربية (14 September 2023). "حصيلة مرعبة لضحايا فيضانات ليبيا.. 11 ألف قتيل و20 ألف مفقود". العربية (in Arabic). Al Arabiya. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Bodies wash ashore in Libya as devastated city races to count its dead". NBC News. 13 September 2023. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Massive flooding in Eastern Libya kills over 8,000 people". Mehr News Agency. 14 September 2023. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Research Terms of Reference - Derna Settlement Based Assessment, Libya LBY2401 (January 2024, V1) - Libya | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  8. ^ "A year on, politics plague rebuilding efforts in Libya's flood ravaged Derna". France 24. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Focus - Libya: One year after deadly floods, reconstruction in full swing in Derna". France 24. 11 September 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.