Libyan civil war, NATO intervention and the killing of Gaddafi
- Date
- March–October 2011
- Category
- Military & conflict
- Region
- Libya
- Era
- Contemporary
- Significance
Protests in Libya in February 2011 escalated rapidly into armed rebellion against Muammar Gaddafi, who had ruled since 1969.
As government forces advanced on rebel-held Benghazi, the UN Security Council authorised a no-fly zone and 'all necessary measures' to protect civilians under Resolution 1973 in March 2011. A NATO-led air campaign then tipped the balance toward the rebels. Tripoli fell in August, and on 20 October 2011 Gaddafi was captured and killed near his hometown of Sirte after his convoy was struck by a NATO airstrike and he was seized by fighters. The National Transitional Council declared Libya's liberation on 23 October 2011. The intervention removed a long-standing dictator but left no functioning central authority. Libya fragmented into competing armed factions and rival governments, sliding into renewed civil war and becoming a major transit point for migrants heading to Europe. The Libyan case became a contested reference point in debates over the use of force and 'regime change'.
One piece of history in your inbox, weekly
New empires, events and features as they land — one good email a week. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Related military & conflict events
- The September 11 attacks11 September 2001
- Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine24 February 2022
- The 7 October Hamas attack and the Israel–Gaza war7 October 2023
- The Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi7 April – 19 July 1994
- Fall of Saigon and reunification of Vietnam30 April 1975 (reunified 1976)
- Khmer Rouge Seize Cambodia and Declare Year Zero1975
Also relevant
Further reading
The wider story
The State of Africa: A History of the Continent Since Independence
Gripping account of Africa's nations from independence to the present.
Get it on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, Human Saga earns from qualifying purchases.