National Front for the Salvation of Libya

National Front for the Salvation of Libya
Dates of operation7 October 1981 (1981-10-07)[1] – 9 May 2012 (2012-05-09)[2]
MotivesThe end of Muammar Gaddafi's regime and the establishment of a democratic state in Libya
Active regions Libya
StatusDefunct; reorganized into the National Front Party
National Front for the Salvation of Libya
الجبهة الوطنية لإنقاذ ليبيا
Dates of operation1981 - 2012
HeadquartersKhartum (until 1985)
Active regionsLibya
Western Europe (1980s)
IdeologyAnti-Gaddafism
Liberalism
Progressivism
Allies Sudan (until 1985)
 Chad (until 1990)
Iraq (until 1990)
 United States
 France (limited)
 United Kingdom
 Zaire (until 1997)
 Israel (alleged)
Non-states allies
Al-Burkan
Muslim Brotherhood in Libya
Opponents Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Battles and warsChadian–Libyan conflict
Bab al-Azizia mutiny

The National Front for the Salvation of Libya (NFSL) was a political opposition group active during the rule of the Gaddafi regime in Libya. It was formed in 1981 and called for major liberalising reforms such as democratic elections, a free press, and the separation of powers.[1] During the 1980s, it pursued a campaign of armed opposition to the Gaddafi regime and made several coup attempts, the most notable being its 1984 armed assault on Gaddafi's Bab al-Azizia compound in Tripoli.[3] After the failure of this and several other coup attempts the group largely abandoned militancy, and instead used peaceful tactics to promote reform in Libya; in 2005, the NFSL joined with six other groups to form the National Conference for the Libyan Opposition.[3]

With the fall of the Gaddafi regime in the 2011 Libyan Civil War, the NFSL's main long-term goal was fulfilled. Consequently, after the war's end, the NFSL dissolved itself and was replaced by the National Front Party, which won 3 seats in the 2012 General National Congress election.[4][5] The NFSL's founder and former leader, Mohamed Yousef el-Magariaf was appointed chairman of the General National Congress, effectively making him interim head of state.[6]

  1. ^ a b Metz, Helen Chapin, ed. (1987). "LIBYA: a country study, Chapter 4. Government and Politics: Opposition to Qadhafi: Exiled Opposition". Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Grant was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Who are the real Libyan opposition?". International Business Times. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  4. ^ Khan, Umar (30 June 2012). "Party Profile: The National Front". Libya Herald.
  5. ^ "National Congress party results". Libya Herald. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Gaddafi opponent elected Libya assembly chief". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 10 August 2012.