2011 Nafusa Mountain Campaign

Part of Libyan Civil War

Gaddafi loyalist in the Nafusa Mountains.

Date

1 March – 18 August 2011

Location

Nafusa Mountains, Libya

Result

Anti-Gaddafi victory

Pro-Gaddafi forces retake Gharyan, Kikla, Yafran and Rayayna from early March to late May, but lose all of their gains except Gharyan in June
Rebel-held al Galaa cut off and surrounded by pro-Gaddafi forces until the recapture of Yafran
Rebels capture and hold the Wazzin border crossing, with some clashes spilling into Tunisia
Rebels capture all towns around the mountains from June to August
Rebels capture Gharyan on 18 August
Rebels start an offensive toward the coast in mid-August

Belligerents

Anti-Gaddafi forces

National Liberation Army

Tunisia

Tunisian Army
Tunisian Police

UNSC Resolution 1973 forces

NATO command

Armed forces of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Commanders and leaders

Col. Mokhtar Milad Fernana (overall commander)

Cdr. Mohammed Ali Madani (first Zintan commander) †

Cdr. Hajj Usama (second Zintan commander)

Cdr. Ali al-Hajj (Yafran commander)

Col. Shu'ayb al-Firjani (Zintan area)

Strength

3,000 from Zintan
2,000 from Nalut
500 from Tripoli + fighters from other towns supported by captured tanks and artillery (since June)

2,000–4,000
40 pick-ups (Nalut-Zintan)
40–50 tanks, 8 mobile MRLs (at Zintan)

Casualties and losses

517–534 killed*
136 missing

397 killed**
215–295 captured**
several tanks destroyed**
10+ tanks or armored vehicles captured

*The number of dead on the rebel side also includes civilians
**Based largely on unconfirmed rebel claims

Anti-Gaddafi victory

Anti-Gaddafi forces

Tunisia

UNSC Resolution 1973 forces

The 2011 Nafusa Mountain Campaign was a series of battles in the Libyan Civil War, fought between loyalist pro-Gaddafi forces and rebel anti-Gaddafi forces in the Nafusa Mountains and, at a later period, in the surrounding plains of western Libya. The mountain range is of strategic importance due to its close proximity to the capital of Tripoli. Along with the city of Misrata, the Nafusa Mountains region was one of the major rebel strongholds in Tripolitania.

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Wikipedia