Gaddafi loyalism, in a wider political and social sense also known as Green resistance, consists of sympathetic sentiment towards the overthrown government of Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed in October 2011. It has been responsible for some of the ongoing violence in Libya, though the degree of its involvement has been disputed in a number of instances. Sympathy for Gaddafi and his fallen

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...

is viewed rather negatively by current Libyan authorities—both the legal government and extralegal

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

s— and even accusations of it can provoke harsh responses. In May 2012, the postwar government passed legislation imposing severe penalties for anyone giving favourable publicity to Gaddafi, his family, their regime or ideas, as well as anything denigrating the new government and its institutions or otherwise judged to be damaging to public morale. Derisively called ''tahloob'' ("algae") by anti-Gaddafi Libyans, suspected loyalists have faced strong persecution following the war. Around 7,000 loyalist soldiers, as well as civilians accused of support for Gaddafi are being held in government prisons. Amnesty International has reported large scale torture and other mistreatment and executions, of those perceived as enemies of the new government. Reports and rumours of organised pro-Gaddafi activity have persisted since the war's end. The Libyan Popular National Movement was organised in exile on 15 February 2012 (the first anniversary of the protests that led to the civil war) by former officials in the Gaddafi government. The party, banned from participating in Libyan elections, may have also cultivated links with armed pro-Gaddafi groups in Libya. Statements from the party sometimes appear on websites affiliated with the so-called "Green Resistance" (after the sole colour of Gaddafi's flag), a term sometimes used by sympathisers to refer to supposed pro-Gaddafi militant groups.Nkrumah, Gamal
Libya's apocalyptic slough
. ''Al Akhram Weekly''. 1 March 2012. Bani Walid, Sabha, Tripoli,

Ghat Ghat, a term used in the Indian subcontinent, depending on the context could refer either to a range of stepped hills with valleys (ghati in Hindi), such as the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats; or the series of steps leading down to a body of ...

, Al Ajaylat, Brak, and Sirte are notable strongholds of Gaddafi loyalism.

2011

End of the civil war

Following Gaddafi's fall, several states, such as

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

, refused to accept the

National Transitional Council The National Transitional Council of Libya ( ar, المجلس الوطني الإنتقالي '), sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, was the ''de facto'' government of Libya for a period during and after the Libyan Civil War ...

as the legitimate government, opting to continue recognising the former Gaddafi government. In Libya, loyalists either fled to foreign countries or went into hiding to avoid prosecutions. Shortly before his capture, Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam appeared on Syrian pro-Gaddafi television on 22 October in an attempt to rally remaining loyalists claiming "I am in Libya, I am alive and free and willing to fight to the end and take revenge."

Zawiya fighting

Several days of fighting between fighters from Zawiya and fighters from Warshefana erupted in early November after the fighters from Warshefana set up a checkpoint on a highway near Zawiya and began challenging fighters from the city. Other reports stated that the groups were fighting over the Imaya military base, with Zawiya fighters claiming to be fighting Gaddafi loyalists. Zawiya field commander Walid bin Kora claimed that the Warshefana, riding in vehicles with "Brigade of the Martyr Muhammad Gaddafi" written on them and flying Gaddafi's green flag, had attacked his men. He also claimed that his men captured pro-Gaddafi "mercenaries" from sub-Saharan Africa. NTC figures, however, denied that they were Gaddafi loyalists, blaming the clashes instead on a misunderstanding. The fighting resulted in between 7 and 14 dead. The

claimed to have resolved the issue over the weekend of the 12 and 13 November following a meeting with elders from Zawiya and Warshefana.

Capture of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi

On 19 November, Saif al-Islam and four loyalist fighters were captured west of the town of

Ubari Ubari or Awbari (Berber language: Ubari or Awbari; ar, أوباري, ‘Awbārī) is a Tuareg Berber–speaking oasis town and the capital of the Wadi al Hayaa District, in the Fezzan region of southwestern Libya. It is in the Idehan Ubari, a ...

near Sabha in southern Libya. A nomad who had been hired to guide them in their planned escape to

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesSaif al-Islam and his two-vehicle convoy would be passing through. Acting on this information, the Zintan brigade blocked off the area and arrested them on sight. Saif al-Islam was taken to Zintan by plane and, pending trial, he is kept in detention by the Zintan militia.

Bani Walid ambush

On 23 November, clashes erupted as a

militia tried to apprehend a suspected loyalist in Bani Walid, which was one of the last pro-Gaddafi strongholds in the civil war. At least seven people were reported killed, five of them NTC militia.

2012

Sirte

In January 2012, residents of Sirte, Gaddafi's hometown, attacked a military camp associated with the NTC on the outskirts of the city.

Zuwara clashes

On 1 April, between 21 and 34 Zuwara militiamen were detained by members of a neighbouring town's militia. Fighters from Ragdalein stated that they captured the men after months of abuses by a Zuwara brigade, including the looting of property. For their part, the Zuwara local council head accused Ragdalein of being a hub of Gaddafi loyalists. A third version of the events came from the government Interior Ministry which stated that the trouble started when a Zuwara hunting party close to nearby al-Jumail shot and killed a person from that town by mistake. The hunters were then arrested but released later. Another Zuwara council head claimed that the men were tortured before being released and stated that Zuwara came under mortar and anti-aircraft fire by militias from both Ragdalein and al-Jumail. On 3 April, reports emerged that the fighting in the Zuwara area was still continuing with at least one Zuwara militiaman killed and five wounded. The losses for militia from Ragdalein and al-Jumail were not known. Clashes were reported at the entrance to Ragdalein while groups in al-Jumail were shelling Zuwara. At least 14 were killed and 80 injured. On 4 April, the fighting escalated with the use of

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engi ...

s and

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

. The reported number of dead was said to had risen to 26, eight from

Zuwarah Zuwarah, or Zuwara or Zwara (Berber language: At Willul or Zwara, ) is a coastal Berber-speaking city in Libya. Zuwara or At Willul is famous for its beaches and seafood. It is situated west of Tripoli and from the Tunisian border. It is the ...

and 18 from the outlying towns, and another 142 Zuwarans were wounded. Unconfirmed reports rose up the death toll to 48 killed in the clashes.

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

aired a report on the story, confirming a number dead. The report also aired an interview with a wounded man from Zarawa, claiming to have been attacked by what he called "Gaddafi loyalists". There is no confirmation as to whether or not the clashes had anything to do with the guerrillas.

Ghat skirmishes

On 6 April, French leading newspaper ''

Le Figaro ''Le Figaro'' () is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826. It is headquartered on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The oldest national newspaper in France, ''Le Figaro'' is one of three French newspapers of r ...

'' reported that a dozen people were killed near the border town of

on 1 and 2 April in fighting between former pro-Gaddafi

Tuaregs The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym: ''Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern ...

and the Zintan tribe. The town of Ghat, in the deserts of southwest Libya, was a stronghold of Gaddafi during his reign. It was the last town in Libya to recognise the new government. Since the fall of Gaddafi, it has been suspected of continuing to be a base of loyalist sentiment. No area in Libya has had as many officials disbarred due to links to the Gaddafi government. The present government has banned its two council members, the local council leader, the secretary to the council, its financial controller, the head of security services, and the heads of the

sanitation Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Preventing human contact with feces is part of sanitation, as is hand washing with soap. Sanitation syste ...

department and the border guards.

Zintan clashes

Tribal clashes in Zintan broke out on 17 June, after a Zintan man was killed after stopping at a checkpoint while attempting to transport tanks from a weapons depot in Mizda to Zintan. While the Zintanis had played a prominent role fighting in favour of the NTC during the civil war, the neighbouring Mashashya tribe had chosen to side with the Gaddafi government during the civil war. The Mashashya tribe chose to side with the Gaddafi government, whilst fighters from Zintan played a prominent role, fighting in favour of the NTC. This, combined with a dispute over land and bitterness over prisoners of war from Mashashya, led to the fighting. It is unclear if Green Resistance had a role in instigating the violence. As a result of the fierce fighting between the different tribes, government troops were deployed to the area on 17 June. The area was subsequently declared a military zone. The deployment of soldiers and imposition of a government enforced ceasefire managed to prevent further clashes, with government spokesman Nasser al-Manaa declaring that fighting had ended on 18 June.

Tripoli

In August 2012, claims surfaced of loyalist remnants attempting to smuggle weapons into Libya in an effort to destabilise the government. A member of the group in Tripoli's Abu Salim neighbourhood, a former pro-Gaddafi stronghold, claimed in an August 2012 interview that loyalist militia were rebuilding their strength and waiting for the right moment to move against the new government. Saadi Gaddafi was claimed to support the group whilst under house arrest in Niger. He warned in early 2012 that he was in contact with sleeper cells who were organising underground resistance. In addition to his son Saadi, Muammar Gaddafi's nephew Ahmad Gaddaf al-Damm, living in hiding in Egypt, was also accused of supporting violent pro-Gaddafi activity. Col. Khamid Bilhayr of the Libyan National Army claimed that other loyalist figures outside the country were sending large quantities of money and support to loyalist groups inside Libya. Others claim that despite the group's rhetoric, its operations were limited to bombings and minor instances of sabotage. They were believed to have been behind a bombing outside the headquarters of the Military Police on 10 August. On 19 August, two people were killed and up to five were injured when a car bomb went off at dawn near the former military academy for women. Another car bomb exploded at the same time near the interior ministry, but no one was harmed. The bombings occurred on the eve of the anniversary of the Battle of Tripoli. Tripoli's head of security, Col. Mahmoud Sherif, blamed Gaddafi loyalists for the attack, and the following day Libyan authorities announced they had arrested 32 members of a pro-Gaddafi network in connection with the bombings. On the same day as the arrests, a bomb was placed under the car of an Egyptian diplomat. The bomb exploded, but nobody was injured. The incident was also blamed by the government on Gaddafi loyalists.

Raid on Katibat Al-Awfiyah brigade

On 23 August, Interior ministry spokesman Abdelmonem al-Hur claimed that more than a hundred tanks and twenty-six rocket launchers were seized from an alleged pro-Gaddafi militia (named ''Katibat Al-Awfiyah'', or Brigade of the Faithful), during a government raid on their campsite in Tarhuna. The operation ended with one of the fighters killed, eight wounded and thirteen detained—including the commander—and accused of being linked with 19 August Tripoli bombings. Three fighters managed to escape.

Death of Omran Shaban

Omran Shaban, the man held most responsible for the

extrajudicial killing An extrajudicial killing (also known as extrajudicial execution or extralegal killing) is the deliberate killing of a person without the lawful authority granted by a judicial proceeding. It typically refers to government authorities, whethe ...

of Gaddafi, was abducted by suspected Gaddafi loyalists in Bani Walid in July. He was imprisoned and tortured for two months before being released in September due to government pressure on Bani Walid. He was sent to France for medical treatment, but died of his wounds the same month. The rebels responsible have so far eluded capture or death.

Bani Walid

On 9 September, local militia in Bani Walid drove government forces from the town. Initial reports claimed that a supposed Gaddafi loyalist group called " Brigade 93" was responsible for the takeover, although the Bani Walid town elders later denied this, and proclaimed support for the removal of Gaddafi. The elders stated that the accusations of pro-Gaddafi sympathies were orchestrated by the media, and that the town instead was fighting for the removal of the NTC military administration of the town and its replacement by a local council.

Brak ambush

On 21 September, government forces were ambushed by alleged Gaddafi loyalists in the city of Brak in south west Libya. Nine soldiers were killed in the attack, with no information of casualties from the attackers.

2014

On 18 January, the Libyan air force attacked targets in the south of Libya because of unrest blamed on forces loyal to slain leader Muammar Gaddafi. The government also declared a state of emergency after Gaddafi loyalists took over the Tamahind air force base near the southern city of Sabha. On 22 January ''

Voice of Russia Voice of Russia ( rus, Голос России, r=Golos Rossii), commonly abbreviated VOR, was the Russian government's international radio broadcasting service from 1993 until 2014, when it was reorganised as Radio Sputnik. Its interval signal w ...

'' featured a report with Libyans who claimed that much of the southern half of the country as well as Bani Walid had fallen under the control of the "Green" Gaddafi loyalists, and that some foreign Libyan embassies were flying the Gaddafi-era green flag in support. The interviewed Libyans claimed to be fighting against a Western-backed "puppet government" with ties to Al-Qaeda, and charged that

Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it ...

was paying Sudanese pilots to bomb their positions.Green Libyan flags are waving once again - Interview
. ''The Voice of Russia''. 22 January 2014. On the other hand, the more government-friendly ''

Libya Herald The ''Libya Herald'' ( ar, ليبيا هيرلد) is an English-language newspaper based in Tripoli, Libya, launched on 17 February 2012. Creation The ''Libya Herald'' was launched on 17 February 2012, the first anniversary of the outbreak of t ...

'' newspaper reported that a large contingent of Gaddafi-friendly fighters were scattered near Ajilat as they tried to aid other Gaddafi-loyalists in Sabha, with five of them killed. The report claimed that if the events were part of a coordinated movement, "it does not appear to be well organised, let alone have any significant or measurable support." On 22 January, the Libyan

General National Congress The General National Congress or General National Council (GNC; ar, المؤتمر الوطني العام, Berber: Agraw Amuran Amatay) was the legislative authority of Libya for two years following the end of the First Libyan Civil War. It w ...

passed Decree 5/2014, ''Concerning the Cessation and Ban on the Broadcasting of Certain Satellite Channels'', aimed at censoring pro-Gaddafi satellite television stations such as al-Khadra (The Green Channel) and al-Nedaa (the Libyan Popular National Movement's channel). Reporters Without Borders subsequently issued a statement calling for the withdrawal of the decree. On 24 January, nine soldiers were killed and 27 injured near Tripoli in clashes with Gaddafi loyalists.

2015

On 4 August, dozens of Gaddafi loyalists staged a rare public demonstration in Benghazi (the only pro-Gaddafi gathering in the city as of yet), chanting pro-Gaddafi slogans and waving the flag of the

Jamahiriya The Third International Theory () was the style of government proposed by Muammar Gaddafi in the early 1970s, on which his government, the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, was officially based. It was partly inspired by Isl ...

, in response to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi's death sentence. The protest was later dispersed after anti-Gaddafi militia opened fire and threw rocks, although no one was reported injured. Continuous fighting was also alleged to have erupted between pockets of pro-Gaddafi militants and

ISIL An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...

forces in Gaddafi's former hometown of Sirte. Furthermore, protests were reported across the Libyan south, in particular the city of Sabha, where at least four protestors were reported dead after opponents opened fire. Protests were also reported in Tobruk, triggering a large counter-demonstration from those in favour of the 2011 revolution. Another protest happened on 7 August in Bani Walid, a city that was a stronghold of pro-Gaddafi loyalists.

2016

On 5 May, Gaddafi loyalists along with soldiers loyal to

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 (LN ...

captured the town of Zella after an intense battle with

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Libya The Islamic State is a militant Islamist group active in Libya under three branches: Fezzan Province ( ar, ولاية فزان, ''Wilayah Fizan'') in the desert south, Cyrenaica Province ( ar, ولاية برقة, ''Wilayah Barqah'') in the east, ...

fighters near Sirte. Some loyalists joined the Battle of Sirte on the side of the GNA. On 23 December, a Gaddafi loyalist hijacked a plane which was flying from Sabha to Tripoli and was diverted to Malta.

2018

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Saif al-Islam Muammar al-Gaddafi ( ar, سيف الإسلام معمر القذافي; born 25 June 1972) is a Libyan political figure. He is the second son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his second wife Safia Farkash. He was a p ...

, the son of Muammar Gaddafi, announced on 22 March 2018 that he will run for president of Libya, in the

2019 Libyan General Election The Libyan presidential election had originally been planned for 10 December 2018, but was delayed due to Khalifa Haftar's Western Libya campaign. The election was thereafter scheduled to be held on 24 December 2021 but was indefinitely postpon ...

. On May 20, a delegation of Gaddafi exiled supporters comprising three former high-ranking military officials, three activists and a university professor that have being invited to a reconciliation meeting in Tripoli were detained on charges of planning violent acts to destabilize the capital. On September 1, shy celebrations marking the 49th anniversary of Al Fateh Revolution spread over several cities including Sabha, Sirte, Benghazi and Tripoli suburbs. On September 2, hundreds of prisoners, including Gaddafi supporters, escaped from Ain Zara prison in the southern suburbs of Tripoli, in a mass jail break during clashes in the city between the

Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade The Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade or Free Tripoli Guardian was a unit of the National Liberation Army of Libya created during the Libyan Civil War that merged into the Tripoli Protection Force. Originally formed in April 2011 in the opposition ...

and Nawasi Brigade against the 7th Brigade from Tarhuna.

2020

On August 20, dozens of Gaddafi supporters held demonstrations in Sirte, Bani Walid and Ghat. On August 24, supporters of the Gaddafi family once again gathered in Sirte, with reports of clashes between the LNA and the protestors. 50 civilians had been detained since the start of the demonstrations in Sirte. On September 1, Gaddafi supporters celebrated the 51st anniversary of the Al Fateh Revolution taking to the streets of several towns like Ajaylat, Tiji (Al-Sayan), Bani Walid and Sabha.

2021

On November 14, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi registered his candidacy for the 2021 Libyan Presidential Election but was disqualified ten days later by the Libyan

High National Election Commission The High National Election Commission is a body created in Libya for organising elections following the 2011 Libyan Civil War, starting in 2012. Creation The High National Election Commission (HNEC) was involved in organising the 2012 Libyan p ...

. After a delayed appeal, Gaddafi's candidacy was reinstated by a court in Sabha on December 2. Gaddafi supporters were sighted celebrating throughout the city.

References

{{Libyan Civil War Aftermath of the First Libyan Civil War First Libyan Civil War Second Libyan Civil War Muammar Gaddafi Political movements in Libya Politics of Libya