The 2011 Ras Ajdir clashes were a series of skirmishes between rebel

anti-Gaddafi forces The anti-Gaddafi forces were Libyan groups that opposed and militarily defeated the government of Muammar Gaddafi, killing him in the process. These opposition forces included organized and armed militia groups, participants in the Libyan Civil ...

and loyalist

pro-Gaddafi forces The Armed Forces of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya consisted of the Libyan Army, Libyan Air Force and the Libyan Navy and other services including the People's Militia. In November 2010, before the First Civil War of 2011, the total number of Li ...

for an important

Libya–Tunisia border The Libya– Tunisia border is 461 km (286 mi) in length and runs from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the tripoint with Algeria in the south. Description The border starts in the north on the Mediterranean coast at Ras Agedir/Adji ...

post in Libya's extreme northwest. The post had been a key loyalist supply line to the capital,

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece *Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in t ...

, but ceased to be so after the rebels recaptured the town of Zawiya and the highway running through it.

The battle

On the night of 13 August 2011, rebel forces assaulted the crossing. The loyalists responded with tanks and other heavy weaponry, completely repelling the rebel assault. On 21 August 2011, rebel forces again reached the crossing, meeting stiff resistance from what were reported to be "non-uniformed Gaddafi loyalists". Rebels made gains, but were once again repulsed by artillery fire. However, rebels did not entirely abandon their efforts, and the crossing remained contested. On 23 August 2011, the Russian Channel One news agency reported that the crossing appeared to be under the control of pro-Gaddafi forces, who prohibited journalists from entering Libya. On 26 August 2011, witnesses reported that clashes were once again erupting between "large numbers" of rebels and loyalists for control of Ras Ajdir. The Tunisian army closed down the border in response, declaring it a "closed military zone". This time, at least 100 anti-Gaddafi forces succeeded in capturing the crossing and hoisted their flag at the border post. Tunisian authorities reopened the crossing on 28 August.

References

{{Libyan civil war Battles of the First Libyan Civil War Conflicts in 2011 Battles involving Tunisia 2011 in Libya August 2011 events in Africa