Events in Libya in 2020

Incumbents

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese f ...

Fayez al-Sarraj Fayez Mustafa al-Sarraj ( ar, فائز السراج or ; born 20 February 1960) is a Libyan politician who served as the Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya and Head of Government of the Government of National Accord from 2016 to 2021 ...

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

: Abdullah al-Thani

Events

January

* January 2 **The

Grand National Assembly of Turkey The Grand National Assembly of Turkey ( tr, ), usually referred to simply as the TBMM or Parliament ( tr, or ''Parlamento''), is the unicameral Turkish legislature. It is the sole body given the legislative prerogatives by the Turkish Consti ...

passes a one-year mandate in order to deploy troops to

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Su ...

. *January 5 **Turkey starts to deploy troops in

. * January 6 **Turkey sends troops and

electronic warfare Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...

tools to Libya to defend the existing government therehttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-51003034 Libya conflict: Turkey sends troops to shore up UN-backed government,6 January 2020, bbc.Turkey sends troops and electronic warfare tools to Libya in challenge to rogue general and UAE
Sophisticated radar-jamming system meant to render precision weapons useless. UK Independent, January 6, 2020. after the LNA captures Sirte. **Several countries protest against Turkey's actions in Libya including

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Med ...

, and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

.Greece, Israel and Cyprus call Turkey's planned Libya deployment 'dangerous escalation'
reuters, January 6, 2020.https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/2/79374/Egypt-talks-Turkey%E2%80%99s-intervention-in-Libya-with-US-EU-ambassadors Egypt talks Turkey’s intervention in Libya with US, EU ambassadors, By: Egypt Today staff Sun, Jan. 5, 2020. * January 7 **Rebel groups commanded by

Khalifa Haftar Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar ( ar, خليفة بلقاسم حفتر, Ḵalīfa Bilqāsim Ḥaftar; born 7 November 1943) is a Libyan-American politician, military officer, and the commander of the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army (LNA) ...

capture the coastal city of

Sirte Sirte (; ar, سِرْت, ), also spelled Sirt, Surt, Sert or Syrte, is a city in Libya. It is located south of the Gulf of Sirte, between Tripoli and Benghazi. It is famously known for its battles, ethnic groups, and loyalty to Muammar Gad ...

. *January 8 ** Turkish president Erdogan and Russian President

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime m ...

call for a cease-fire in Libya.

February

* February 8 ** The first round of UN-brokered talks led by the Libyan 5+5 Joint Military Commission concluded in

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situ ...

, Switzerland without a full ceasefire agreement. *February 16 **Representatives from a dozen countries meet in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

to discuss withholding weapons from warring factions in Libya. *February 18 **The National Liberation Army shelled the Port of Tripoli, killing three civilians. The

Government of National Accord The Government of National Accord ( ar, حكومة الوفاق الوطني) was an interim government for Libya that was formed under the terms of the Libyan Political Agreement, a United Nations–led initiative, signed on 17 December 2015. T ...

suspended negotiations with the National Liberation Army in response.

March

*March 2 **The U.N. envoy to

Ghassan Salamé Ghassan Salamé ( ar, غسان سلامة; born 1951) is a Paris-based Lebanese academic. He served as the Lebanese Minister of Culture from 2000 to 2003. He was the Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) and professor of I ...

, 69, steps down because of health concerns. Peace efforts seem further off than ever. *March 24 **Libya confirms its first

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickl ...

case.

April to June

*April 27 –

and the Libyan National Army (LNA) move to seize control of the country and

the Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of the kremlins (R ...

reaffirms its support for a diplomatic solution. Hafter is supported by Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. The Government of National Accord (GNA) is recognized by most other countries internationally. *May 6 – Russian mercenaries from the

Wagner Group The Wagner Group (russian: Группа Вагнера, Gruppa Vagnera), also known as PMC Wagner ( «Вагнер», ChVK «Vagner»; ), is a Russian paramilitary organization. It is variously described as a private military company (PMC), ...

, a Russian paramilitary organization seen as being close to

, are fighting in Libya, UN diplomats say. *May 23 – U.S. President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...

calls upon Turkey President

Recep Erdogan Recep may refer to: People Surname * Aziz Recep (born 1992), German-Greek footballer * Sibel Recep (born 1987), Swedish pop singer Given name * Recep Adanır (born 1929), Turkish footballer * Recep Akdağ (born 1960), Turkish physician and polit ...

to push Khalifa Haftar for de-escalation. Haftar is a U.S. citizen. *May 26 – The U.S. (AFRICOM) says Russia has sent fighter jets to

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 ...

to support the mercenaries trying to topple the government. Russia says this is ″disinformation.″ *June 3 – The internationally recognized government of Libya retakes

Tripoli International Airport Tripoli International Airport () is a closed international airport built to serve Tripoli, the capital city of Libya. The airport is located in the area of Qasr bin Ghashir, from central Tripoli. It used to be the hub for Libyan Airlines, ...

. Egypt and the UAE, both backers of military commander Khalifa Haftar, support the ceasefire announced on June 2. *June 12 – Explosive devices, landmines, and mass graves of civilians, many buried alive, are discovered in the city of

Tarhuna Tarhuna (; ar, ترهونة), also Tarhoona or Tarhunah, is a Libyan town to the southeast of Tripoli, in the Murqub District. The city derives its name from that of its pre-Roman-era inhabitants, a Berber tribe. The city was known as al-Bo ...

Murqub District Murqub ( ar, المرقب ''Al Murqub''), sometimes spelt ''Al Murgub'' or ''Al Marqab'' or ''al-Morqib'', is one of the districts of Libya. The main city and capital is Khoms. The widely visited UNESCO World Heritage Site of Leptis Magna is also ...

after the city is taken by GNA forces. *June 27 – Ninety-three migrants are rescued off Libyan shores as they tried to reach Europe, but six others died along the way.

July to September

*July 10 – Haftar's Libyan National Army allows a tanker to load about 730,000 barrels of crude from the eastern port of Es Sider, with the cargo bound for Italy. *July 12 – Khalifa Haftar vows to blockade ports and the National Oil Corp. reimposed '' force majeure''. At least three oil firms stopped production or canceled plans to restart. *August 21 – The GNA and the LNA both declared a ceasefire.

October to December

*November 12 – The

International Organization for Migration The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a United Nations agency that provides services and advice concerning migration to governments and migrants, including internally displaced persons, refugees, and migrant workers. The IOM w ...

(IOM) reports a shipwreck off the coast of

Khums In Islam, khums ( ar, خُمْس , literally 'one fifth') refers to the required religious obligation of any Muslims to pay 20% of their acquired wealth from certain sources toward specified causes. It is treated differently in Shia and S ...

, Libya, which claimed the lives of over 74 migrants. The boat was reported to be carrying over 120 people. Forty-seven survivors have been brought to shore by the coast guard and fishermen. It is the eighth such incident since the beginning of October. *November 16 – Libya Civil War: UN-sponsored peace talks failed to establish an interim government by November 16, although both sides pledged to try again in a week. *December 8 – Forces controlled by

Khalifa Hifter Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar ( ar, خليفة بلقاسم حفتر, Ḵalīfa Bilqāsim Ḥaftar; born 7 November 1943) is a Libyan-American politician, military officer, and the commander of the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army (LNA) ...

seize a Turkish ship near

Derna, Libya Derna (; ar, درنة ') is a port city in eastern Libya. It has a population of 85,000–90,000. It was the seat of one of the wealthiest provinces in the Barbary States, and remains the capital of the Derna District, with a much smaller area. ...

. *December 17 – Eighteen fishermen held since September 1 for invading Libyan waters are released. *December 21 –

Lockerbie bombing Pan Am Flight 103 was a regularly scheduled Pan Am transatlantic flight from Frankfurt to Detroit via a stopover in London and another in New York City. The transatlantic leg of the route was operated by ''Clipper Maid of the Seas'', a Boei ...

: The United States accuses Abu Agila Mohammad Masud of the 1988 bombing and requests his extradition. Masud is serving a ten-year sentence for a separate bomb attack. *December 25 – Warring factions begin a prisoner exchange in al-Shwayrif.

Events by issue

Turkish troops deployed to Libya

In January 2020, Turkey sent troops and electronic warfare tools to Libya to defend the existing government there. Several countries protested against Turkey's actions including Greece, France, Egypt, and the United States. In July, the United States said it had verifiable photographs showing Russia has sent weapons, air defense systems, and mercenaries to Libya. Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and France support Khalifa Hifter's forces. Turkey has sent arms and Syrian mercenaries to back the government of Tripoli.

threatened to use force against Turkish troops after the Turkish parliament extended authorization that allows the deployment of Turkish troops to Libya for another 18 months starting December 2020.

Deaths

*5 April –

Mahmoud Jibril Mahmoud Jibril el-Warfally ( ar, محمود جبريل الورفلي), also transcribed Jabril or Jebril or Gebril (28 May 1952 – 5 April 2020), was a Libyan politician who served as the interim Prime Minister of Libya for seven and a half mon ...

, 67, politician,

Minister of Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between coun ...

and

(2011); COVID-19 *21 April –

Abdurrahim El-Keib Abdurrahim Abdulhafiz El-Keib, PhD, ( ar, عبد الرحيم عبد الحفيظ الكيب; also transcribed ''Abdel Rahim AlKeeb,'' ''Abdul Raheem Al-Keeb,'' etc.; 2 March 1950 – 21 April 2020) was a Libyan politician, professor of electri ...

, 70, politician, acting

(2011–2012); heart attack *6 October –

Suleiman Mahmoud Suleiman Mahmoud al-Obeidi (Arabic: سليمان محمود العبيدي; 1949 - 6 October 2020) was a senior military officer in Libya. Career He was formerly a commander in Muammar Gaddafi's army. He was commander of the Tobruk Military Regi ...

, 71, military officer, Chief of Staff of the National Liberation Army (2011); COVID-19. *10 November – Hanane Al-Barassi, activist; gunshot.‘Death-squad style’: Daylight murder of Libyan activist sends shock waves
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