National Liberation Army (Libya)

For later Libyan armed forces, see Libyan Army and Libyan National Army.

National Liberation Army
جيش التحرير الوطني
Also known asFree Libyan Army
Commander-in-ChiefAbdul Fatah Younis (appointed) †
Khalifa Haftar (self-proclaimed)
Defence MinisterOmar al-Hariri (March–May 2011)
Jalal al-Digheily (May–October 2011)
Dates of operationMarch–October 2011
AllegianceLibya National Transitional Council
HeadquartersAjdabiya, Libya[1]
Active regionsLibya
IdeologyAnti-Gaddafism
Democracy[2]
Pluralism[3]
Secularism (allegedly)[4]
Islamism (factions)[5]
Size3,000 (initially)
17,000 (peak)
Allies NATO  Egypt[6]
 Qatar
 United Arab Emirates[7]
 Iran[8][9]
OpponentsLibya Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Battles and warsFirst Libyan Civil War

The National Liberation Army (Arabic: جيش التحرير الوطني الليبي jaysh al-taḥrīr al-waṭanī al-lībī), officially the National Liberation Armed Forces of the Free Libyan Republic, formerly known as the Free Libyan Army,[10] was a Libyan military organisation affiliated with the National Transitional Council, which was constituted during the First Libyan Civil War by defected military members and civilian volunteers, in order to engage in battle against both remaining members of the Libyan Armed Forces and paramilitia loyal to the rule of Muammar Gaddafi. Its self proclaimed chief commander was General Khalifa Haftar,[11] although the National Transitional Council preferred to appoint Major General Abdul Fatah Younes Al-Obeidi as its commander-in-chief.[12] It had prepared for some time in portions of Eastern Libya controlled by the anti-Gaddafi forces for eventual full-on combat in Western Libya against pro-Gaddafi militants, training many men before beginning to go on the offensive.[13][14] They have battled for control of Benghazi, Misrata, Brega, Ajdabiya, Zawiya and Ra's Lanuf as well as several towns in the Nafusa Mountains. They finally began the Battle for Tripoli in August 2011 when they attacked from the west of the city, as well as fomenting an internal uprising on 20 August.

There were claims that there were 8,000 soldiers in Benghazi equipped with a substantial number of weapons captured from abandoned Libyan army depots, including AK-47 and FN FAL rifles, RPGs, SPGs, anti-aircraft guns and several tanks.[15] The National Liberation Army had at least 3,000 soldiers after initial defections from the Libyan Armed Forces, and later more than 17,000 at its peak.[16]

The force was formerly named the Free Libyan Army, but it was changed at the end of May 2011 to "help better define the increasingly professional and disciplined military efforts to overcome the Gaddafi regime", according to a statement released by the National Transitional Council.[17] It uses the tricolour flag first adopted by Libya in 1951, which has become emblematic of the Libyan Republic and the revolt against Gaddafi; considering that the flag is the same sign of Libya's independence and freedom from the Italian occupation.

The NLA finally succeeded in defeating the last pro-Gaddafi remnants on 20 October 2011, during heavy fighting in Sirte,[citation needed] and captured Muammar Gaddafi himself, who later died of bullet wounds after his capture, effectively ending the Libyan civil war. The current status of the organisation following the Libyan provisional government's "declaration of liberation" was its reorganization into the Libyan National Army.

  1. ^ Gillis, Clare Morgana (4 March 2011). "In Eastern Libya, Defectors and Volunteers Build Rebel Army". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  2. ^ "Libyan rebels form 'interim government'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Islamists take aim at Libya rebels' secular leaders". Los Angeles Times. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Islamists take aim at Libya rebels' secular leaders". Los Angeles Times. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  5. ^ Chivvis, Christopher S. "Libya After Qaddafi: Lessons and Implications for the Future" (PDF). RAND. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 December 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  6. ^ Levinson, Charles (17 March 2011). "Egypt Said to Arm Libya Rebels". The Wall Street Journal.
  7. ^ "UAE Updates Support to UN Resolution 1973". Emirates News Agency. 25 March 2011. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  8. ^ Pomeroy, Robin (21 March 2011). "Don't bomb Libya, arm rebels, says Iran's Khamenei". Reuters.
  9. ^ "Iran hails death of long-time ally Qaddafi as 'great victory'". Al Arabiya. 21 October 2011.
  10. ^ The Free Libya Armed Forces, ntclibya.com. Accessed 22 July 2011
  11. ^ "Libyan Rebel Commander Is From Fairfax, Virginia". ABC News. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  12. ^ Grinin, Leonid; Korotayev, Andrey; Tausch, Arno (26 September 2018). Islamism, Arab Spring, and the Future of Democracy: World System and World Values Perspectives. Springer. p. 198. ISBN 978-3-319-91077-2.
  13. ^ "Libya rebel army says training before Tripoli push". Reuters. 28 February 2011. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011.
  14. ^ Nancy A. Youssef (28 February 2011). "Libyan rebels admit their military is lacking". Miami Herald.[dead link]
  15. ^ David D. Kirkpatrick and Karim Faheem (28 February 2011). "Libya rebels gain arms, defectors". Boston Globe.
  16. ^ Dixon, Jeffrey S.; Sarkees, Meredith Reid (22 October 2015). A Guide to Intra-state Wars. SAGE. p. 414. ISBN 978-0-87289-775-5.
  17. ^ "Libyan rebels rename themselves National Liberation Army". The Times of India. Times of India. 31 May 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011. [dead link]