Battle of Brega-Ajdabiya road

Battle of Brega–Ajdabiya road

Part of the Libyan Civil War

Date

8 – 18 April 2011 (first phase)
19 April – 23 June 2011 (second phase)
24 June – 13 July 2011 (third phase)

Location

Brega–Ajdabiya, Libya

Result

Stalemate; Fourth Battle of Brega

Pro-Gaddafi forces entered Ajdabiya on 9 April, but rebel forces re-took the town by 11 April
Pro-Gaddafi forces repelled several rebel raids on Brega
Stagnant frontline formed between Brega and Ajdabiya on 18 April, scattered fighting continued for three months
Rebels started an all-out offensive to take Brega in July

Belligerents

Anti-Gaddafi forces

UNSC Resolution 1973 forces

NATO command

Gaddafi Loyalists

Commanders and leaders

Abdul Fatah Younis (until 28 July)

Suleiman Mahmoud

Hamid Hassy

Mutassim Gaddafi

Strength

5,000 (by 20 June)

1,500–3,000 (by 23 April)
3,000–7,000 (by late June/early July)

Casualties and losses

75–87 killed
4 missing
174–185 wounded
1 attack helicopter and 2 Chinook transport helicopters* shot down

94–95 killed,
59 captured

6–13 tanks destroyed in air-strikes (NATO claim; First phase)

78 technicals, 7 tanks and 6 armored vehicles destroyed in air-strikes (NATO claim; Third phase)

26-46 Libyan and 1 Algerian civilian killed,
70 Libyan civilians missing

*No independent confirmation of the claim by the government to have shot down the two Chinooks, however, rebels confirmed the previous day that they had sent two helicopters into battle