Updated: April 25, 2011
Libya, an oil-rich nation in North Africa, has been under the firm, if sometimes erratic, leadership of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi since he seized power in 1969. But in February 2011, the unrest sweeping through much of the Arab world erupted in several Libyan cities. Though it began with a relatively organized core of antigovernment opponents in Benghazi, its spread to the capital of Tripoli was swift and spontaneous. Colonel Qaddafi lashed out with a level of violence unseen in either of the other uprisings, but an inchoate opposition cobbled together the semblance of a transitional government, fielded a makeshift rebel army and portrayed itself to the West and Libyans as an alternative to Colonel Qaddafi's erratic control.
Momentum shifted quickly, however, and the rebels faced the possibilty of being outgunned and outnumbered in what increasingly looked like a mismatched civil war. As Colonel Qaddafi’s troops advanced to within 100 miles of Benghazi, the rebel stronghold in the west, the United Nations Security Council voted to authorize military action, a risky foreign intervention aimed at averting a bloody rout of the rebels by loyalist forces. On March 19, American and European forces began a broad campaign of strikes against Colonel Qaddafi and his government, unleashing warplanes and missiles in a military intervention on a scale not seen in the Arab world since the Iraq war.
The attacks prompted two of Colonel Qaddafi's sons to float a proposal that would remove him from power, which the rebels rejected. Meanwhile, their ragtag forces surged forward and back, unable to make progress against the army despite the help from above but no longer in grave peril. In mid-April, Britain, France and Italy said they would send military liaison officers to help the rebels, a tacit admission that the airstrikes had failed to disable the government's forces.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
April 25 NATO warplanes struck Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s compound and bombed a state television facility in an escalation of the air campaign to aid the rebellion against his four decades in power. The attack suggested that nonmilitary targets would be hit in an effort to break down the instruments of Colonel Qaddafi’s broader control.
April 24 Rebel leaders said they had consolidated their control of the western city of Misurata, taking over the last two government outposts there even as government forces continued to shell the city from its outskirts.
April 23 In a sudden shift after nearly two months of heavy siege, government forces withdrew from the western city of Misurata. The departure came so quickly that even rebel leaders puzzled over whether the withdrawal was a true military victory, a subterfuge by pro-Qaddafi forces who might return in plain clothes, or a strategic redeployment to new fronts in the mountains along the western border with Tunisia. The government said the army had ceased operations in order to give tribal leaders a chance to negotiate a resolution to the siege.
April 22 The government of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi suffered setbacks on multiple fronts as rebels in the western mountains seized a Tunisian border crossing, fighters in the besieged city of Misurata said they were gaining ground and President Obama authorized the use of armed drones for close-in fighting against the Qaddafi forces.
April 21 Libyan rebels said they had control of a post on the Tunisian border, forcing government soldiers to flee over the frontier and possibly opening a new channel for opposition forces inCol. Moammar el-Qadaffi's bastion in western Libya. And a survey of weapons carried by hundreds of rebels fighting on two fronts presents a picture of an uprising that is both underequipped and in custody of many weapons with no utility in the war. The rebels also possess weapons that if sold, lost or misused, could undermine their cause. President Obama authorized the use of armed Predator dronesagainst Libya government forces fighting the rebellion, as NATOstruggles to regain momentum since taking command of the operation from the United States.
April 20 The French and Italian governments said that they would join Britain in sending a small number of military liaison officers to support the ragtag rebel army in Libya, offering a diplomatic boost for the insurgent leader, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, as he met with President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris.
April 19 Britain will send experienced military officers to Libya to advise rebels fighting forces loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi. The soldiers marching orders are to help the rebels’ makeshift force “improve their military organizational structures, communications and logistics,” Britain’s foreign secretary, William Hague, said in a statement.
General Information on Libya
Official Name: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Capital: Tripoli (Current local time)
Government Type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state.
Chief of State: Muammar el-Qaddafi, Col.
Population: 6.037 million (2007, est.)
Area: 679,362 square miles, or slightly larger than Alaska.
Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities.
Literacy: Total Population: 82.6%; Male: 92.4%; Female: 72% (2003 est.)
GDP Per Capita: $12,300 (2003)
Year of Independence: 1951
Capital: Tripoli (Current local time)
Government Type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state.
Chief of State: Muammar el-Qaddafi, Col.
Population: 6.037 million (2007, est.)
Area: 679,362 square miles, or slightly larger than Alaska.
Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities.
Literacy: Total Population: 82.6%; Male: 92.4%; Female: 72% (2003 est.)
GDP Per Capita: $12,300 (2003)
Year of Independence: 1951
Articles
NATO Strikes Qaddafi Compound; Misurata Attack Unrelenting
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
NATO appeared to escalate its air war, while pro-Qaddafi forces renewed their shelling of Misurata.
April 25, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ),NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION, QADDAFI, MUAMMAR EL-
Guantánamo Files: Libyan Detainee Now U.S. Ally of Sorts
By ROD NORDLAND and SCOTT SHANE
A former prisoner at Guantánamo is now a leader of the NATO-backed Libyan rebels.
April 24, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ), DETAINEES, GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE (CUBA), UNITED STATES
Berber Rebels in Libya’s West Face Long Odds Against Qaddafi
By SCOTT SAYARE
Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi has long harbored antagonism toward a group of mostly Ibadi Muslims in a country that is majority Sunni.
April 24, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ),DEFENSE AND MILITARY FORCES, QADDAFI, MUAMMAR EL-
Libyan Rebels Say They Have Control of Misurata
By ROD NORDLAND
The rebels say they drove government forces out of the western city, though shelling has continued, while the government says that its forces withdrew while a cease-fire is being negotiated.
April 24, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ),DEFENSE AND MILITARY FORCES, MISURATA (LIBYA), TRANSITIONAL NATIONAL COUNCIL
Libyan Forces Withdraw From a Besieged City, and the Rebels Wonder Why
By ROD NORDLAND and DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s forces withdrew from Misurata, rebel spokesmen and independent observers said, but they continued to fire into the city, with heavy loss of life.
April 23, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ),MISURATA (LIBYA), TRANSITIONAL NATIONAL COUNCIL, QADDAFI, MUAMMAR EL-
Senator McCain Visits Libyan Rebel Stronghold
By ROD NORDLAND and ALAN COWELL
Senator John McCain of Arizona, in a Friday visit to the de facto rebel capital of Benghazi, hailed the insurgents battling Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi as his heroes.
April 22, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, UNITED STATES POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ), BENGHAZI (LIBYA), TRANSITIONAL NATIONAL COUNCIL,MCCAIN, JOHN, QADDAFI, MUAMMAR EL-
Libya Could Become Stalemate, Mullen Warns
By ROD NORDLAND and STEVEN LEE MYERS
Despite a mixed assessment, officials said no great change in tactics was planned in NATO-led air operations.
April 22, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: UNITED STATES DEFENSE AND MILITARY FORCES,MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ), BENGHAZI (LIBYA),MCCAIN, JOHN
Lies and Videotape
By CHRISTOPHER WALKER and ROBERT W. ORTTUNG
In authoritarian states, a revolution could break the stranglehold that state-run news media hold over unfree societies.
April 22, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: DEMONSTRATIONS, PROTESTS, AND RIOTS, FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, NEWS AND NEWS MEDIA, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ), TUNISIA, EGYPT, SYRIA, AL JAZEERA
Libyan Rebels Advance; U.S. Will Deploy Drones
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and THOM SHANKER
Rebels seized a Tunisian border crossing as President Obama authorized the use of armed drones against Qaddafi’s forces.
April 21, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: UNITED STATES DEFENSE AND MILITARY FORCES,DRONES (PILOTLESS PLANES), MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ), NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION, QADDAFI, MUAMMAR EL-
Obama Sends Armed Drones to Help NATO in Libya War
By THOM SHANKER
Armed Predator drones will join the fight against Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s government forces, as NATO struggles to regain momentum since taking command of the operation.
April 21, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: DRONES (PILOTLESS PLANES), MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ), GATES, ROBERT M, OBAMA, BARACK
France and Italy Will Send Military Liaisons to Libya
By STEVEN ERLANGER
France and Italy said they would, like Britain, send liaison officers to Libya, in what analysts said was a sign that there would be no quick end to the war.
April 20, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ),DEFENSE AND MILITARY FORCES, GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, ITALY, NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION, QADDAFI, MUAMMAR EL-
Using Refugees as Weapons
By KELLY GREENHILL
Qaddafi's threatened use of demographic bombs is not unique.
April 20, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS
‘Restrepo’ Director and a Photographer Are Killed in Libya
By C. J. CHIVERS
Tim Hetherington, the photographer who was a director and producer of the film “Restrepo,” and Chris Hondros of the Getty photo agency came under fire on the front lines of Misurata.
April 20, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: PHOTOGRAPHY, CIVILIAN CASUALTIES, NEWS AND NEWS MEDIA, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ), MISURATA (LIBYA), HETHERINGTON, TIM, HONDROS, CHRIS, BROWN, MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER, QADDAFI, MUAMMAR EL-, MARTIN, GUY
Inferior Arms Hobble Rebels in Libya War
By C. J. CHIVERS
The armed uprising is not adequately armed and has many weapons with no utility in the war at hand.
April 20, 2011
France and Italy Will Also Send Advisers to Libya Rebels
By ALAN COWELL and RAVI SOMAIYA
The French and Italian governments said they would send a small number of officers to support the rebel army, offering a diplomatic boost for the insurgent leader.
April 20, 2011MORE ON LIBYA AND: CIVIL WAR AND GUERRILLA WARFARE, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNREST (2010- ), SARKOZY, NICOLAS
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The Battle for Libya
Rebel leaders said they had consolidated their control of the western city of Misurata on Sunday, taking over the last two government outposts there even as government forces continued to shell the city from its outskirts.
Rebels Take Control in Misurata
Troops captured in Misurata, Libya, said Saturday that they had been ordered to retreat from the city, in what appeared to be a significant setback for Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s forces.
McCain Meets with Libyan Rebels
Senator John McCain met in Benghazi with officials of the opposition government, calling the rebels “patriots who want to liberate their nation.”
Rebels Take Control of Border Town
Rebels fighting to oust the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, took control of a border crossing into Tunisia on Thursday.
Libya Navigator
A list of resources from around the Web about Libya as selected by researchers and editors of The New York Times.
- C.I.A. World Factbook country profile
- State Department — history and overview
- News and online media
- BBC country profile
- Qaddafi's official site
- The Guardian: Libya news
- Human Rights Watch: Libya
- Libya Comes in From the Cold
- BBC News, Sept 2008
ESSENTIAL READING
FROM THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
- Executive Order: Settlement of Claims Against Libya
- President George W. Bush, October 31, 2008
- How Libya Got Off the List
- Council on Foreign Relations, Oct 2007
The New York Times
Other Resources
BUSINESS
- Business conditions (World Bank)
- Currency conversion
ECONOMY
- Economic outlook for the most developed countries(Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)
- Statistical profiles of the least developed countries (U.N.)
- World Bank country brief
EDUCATION
- Statistical overview (U.N.)
- Colleges and universities(Braintrack)
ENERGY
- Resources and trends (U.S. D.O.E.)
ENVIRONMENT
- Regional assessments (U.N.)
GOVERNMENT
- Online constitutions(University of Richmond)
- Embassies in the U.S.
HEALTH
- Country profile (World Health Organization)
- Children's health (Unicef)
- Development indicators (World Bank)
- Natural disasters and relief efforts (ReliefWeb)
HUMAN RIGHTS
MAPS
- Google Maps
- Google Earth
- Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection (University of Texas)
POPULATION/DEMOGRAPHICS
- International data (Census Bureau)
- Demographic profiles(Population Reference Bureau)
TRAVEL
- NYTimes.com/Travel
- Travel information (State Department)
- World museum directory
OTHER USEFUL LINKS
- Weather (World Meteorological Organization)
- Government statistics
- International postal codes
- Calling codes
- Country comparisons
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