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Libyan Civil War (2014–present) facts for kids

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Second Libyan Civil War
Part of the Arab Winter and the Libyan Crisis
Libyan Civil War.svg
Military situation in Libya on 8 January 2020
     Under the control of the House of Representatives and the Libyan National Army     Under the control of the Government of National Accord (GNA) and different militias forming the Libya Shield Force     Controlled by local forces (For a more detailed 2019 map, see military situation in the Libyan Civil War)
Date 16 May 2014 – present
(11 years, 4 weeks and 2 days)
Location
Status

Ongoing

  • As of January 2020 the House of Representatives controls the eastern Cyrenaica region and parts of the southern Fezzan and Tripolitania regions and Sirte. The Government of National Accord controls most of the coastal Tripolitania including Tripoli and Misrata.
Main belligerents

Libya House of Representatives (Tobruk-based)

  • Libyan National Army
  •  Libyan Air Force (LNA–aligned)
  •  Libyan Navy (LNA–aligned)
  • Zintan brigades
  • Russian PMCs

JEM (from 2016)
SLM/A-Minnawi
 Sudan (RSF) (since 2019)
Russia Wagner Group


Libya Gaddafi loyalists

  • Libya Popular Front for the Liberation of Libya
  • Warshefana militias

Libya Government of National Accord (Tripoli-based) (since 2016)

  • Libyan Armed Forces
    •  Libyan Ground Forces
    •  Libyan Air Force (GNA–aligned)
    •  Libyan Navy
  • Presidential Guard
  • Misrata Brigades
  • Sabratha Revolutionary Brigades
  • Petroleum Facilities Guard
  • Tripoli Brigade (until 2018)
  • Tripoli Protection Force (since 2018)
  • Misratan Third Force
  • Tuareg militias of Ghat
  • Toubou Front for the Salvation of Libya
  • Chadian rebels (FACT, CCMSR, URF and UFDD)
  • Syrian opposition Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (since 2019)

Libya National Salvation Government
(2014–17)

  • Libya Shield Force
  • LROR
  • Libyan National Guard

Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries
al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb

Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna (2014–18)

  • Ansar al-Sharia (Derna) (2014–18)
  • Abu Salim Martyrs
    (2014–15)
Libya Benghazi Defense Brigades

Ajdabiya Revolutionaries Shura Council (2015–16)
Libya Derna Protection Force

ISIL

  • Wilayat Barqa
  • Wilayat Tarabulus
  • Wilayat Fezzan
Commanders and leaders

Libya Aguila Saleh Issa
(President of House of Representatives)
Libya Abdullah al-Thani
(Prime Minister)
FM Khalifa Haftar
(Commander of Operation Dignity)
Col. Wanis Abu Khamada
(Commander of Libyan Special Forces)
Brig. Gen. Saqr Geroushi
(Chief of Staff of the Libyan Air Force)
Chief of Staff Abdel Razek Al-Nazuri (Libyan Ground Forces)
Adm. Faraj al-Mahdawi


Libya Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
Libya Gen. Ali Kana (loyalist leader in Fezzan)
Libya Fayez al-Sarraj
(Chairman of the Presidential Council and Prime minister)
Libya Col. Al-Mahdi Al-Barghathi
(GNA Minister of Defense)
Rida Issa
(Libyan Navy commander)

Libya Nouri Abusahmain (2014–16)
(President of the GNC)
Libya Khalifa al-Ghawi (2015–17)
(Prime Minister)
Libya Sadiq Al-Ghariani
(Grand Mufti)


Abu Khalid al Madani 
(Ansar al-Sharia Leader)
Mokhtar Belmokhtar
(Commander of Al-Mourabitoun, believed dead)
Musa Abu Dawud  (AQIM southern Zone commander)

Mohamed al-Zahawi 
(Former Ansar al-Sharia Leader)
Ateyah Al-Shaari DMSC / DPF leader
Wissam Ben Hamid 
(Libya Shield 1 Commander)
Salim Derby 
(Commander of Abu Salim Martyrs Brigade)
Abu Nabil al-Anbari  (Top ISIL leader in Libya)
Abu Hudhayfah al-Muhajir
(ISIL governor of Wilayat Tripolitania)
Casualties and losses
8,788 killed
20,000 injured (as of May 2015)

The Second Libyan Civil War is an ongoing conflict in Libya. It started in May 2014. This war is mainly a fight between different groups who want to control the country.

Libya has been facing problems since 2011. That was when its long-time leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was overthrown. After that, many different groups and militias started fighting for power. This led to the Second Libyan Civil War.

Who is Fighting in Libya?

The main groups fighting are:

The House of Representatives

This group was elected in 2014. It is based in the city of Tobruk, in eastern Libya. They appointed Khalifa Haftar as the commander of their army. This army is called the Libyan National Army (LNA). Their goal is to bring back control over all of Libya. Many countries support this group, including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

The Government of National Accord (GNA)

This government is based in Libya's capital city, Tripoli. It was formed in 2016. Fayez al-Sarraj is its leader. The GNA is recognized by the United Nations as the official government of Libya. They control most of the coastal areas around Tripoli. Countries like Turkey and Qatar support the GNA.

Other Groups Involved

Besides the two main sides, other groups have also been part of the conflict.

  • The National Salvation Government was another group that controlled Tripoli before the GNA.
  • There are also various armed groups and militias. These groups often have different goals.
  • The Islamic State (ISIL) also gained control of some areas in Libya. They fought against both the House of Representatives and the GNA.

Why is the War Happening?

The war is happening because there is no single strong government in Libya. Different groups want to lead the country. They also want to control Libya's valuable resources, like oil. Many countries have gotten involved. They support different sides, which makes the conflict more complicated.

What is the Impact of the War?

The war has caused a lot of suffering for people in Libya. Thousands of people have been killed or injured. Many more have had to leave their homes. The fighting has also damaged cities and important buildings. It has made daily life very difficult for ordinary Libyans.

Current Situation

The Second Libyan Civil War is still ongoing. There have been efforts to find a peaceful solution. However, fighting continues in different parts of the country. The international community is working to help Libya find a way to peace.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Segunda guerra civil libia para niños

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Libyan Civil War (2014–present) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.