Siege of Derna

The siege of Derna was a military campaign by the Libyan National Army (LNA) to capture the city of Derna, which began after the end of the Derna campaign (2014–16). After besieging the city for 21 months, the LNA assaulted the city on 7 May 2018, beginning the 2018–2019 battle of Derna and ultimately capturing the city on 12 February 2019.

Siege of Derna
Part of the Second Libyan Civil War
DateAugust 2016 – 12 February 2019
Location
Derna, Libya
Result Libyan National Army victory
Belligerents
House of Representatives Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna
  ISIL (limited involvement)[1]
Commanders and leaders
Islamic State Mohamed Fathi Al-Jamayel Executed[1]
Casualties and losses
15 civilians killed, 17 civilians wounded[4]

The siege itself was criticized by the National Commission for Human Rights in Libya as a war crime,[5] as well as by the Government of National Accord.[6]

Timeline

The siege began in August 2016.[7]

In August 2017–after militants of the Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna executed Air Colonel Adel Jehani, whose plane was shot down by the group–the head of the Omar Mukhtar Operations Room tasked with taking Derna, Brigadier Salem Rifadi, declared a total blockade of Derna. He was quoted as saying that no food, medicine, cooking gas, petrol or anything else would be allowed in.[2]

By September 2017, Marshal Khalifa Haftar was being accused of war crimes in the siege of Derna. It was alleged that Haftar had been complicit in calling for extrajudicial killings, arguing that Haftar had called on LNA fighters to take no prisoners, and saying in a speech: "Never mind consideration of bringing a prisoner here. There is no prison here. The field is the field, end of the story".[8][9]

In October 2017, an airstrike hit Derna, killing at least 15 civilians and wounding 17 or more.[10]

In December 2017, Islamic State member Mohamed Fathi Al-Jamayel was executed by the Shura Council after a failed attempt to kill senior member Moaz Tashani.[1]

On 7 May 2018, the LNA launched an offensive on Derna, and by February 2019 had taken the city, thereby also ending the siege.

See also
  • Battle of Derna (disambiguation)

References
  1. "IS member shot dead in Derna |". Libyaherald.com. 2017-12-11. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  2. "UN says it is concerned about LNA siege of Derna |". Libyaherald.com. 2017-08-06. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  3. "Senior leader in Derna Shura Council killed by an ISIS landmine in Al-Heela". Libyanexpress.com. 2016-08-01. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  4. "East Libya air strikes kill at least 15". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  5. "National Human Rights Commission: Derna siege is war crime | The Libya Observer". www.libyaobserver.ly. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  6. "UN-backed Libya government condemns Haftar's siege of Derna – Middle East Monitor". Middleeastmonitor.com. 2017-08-07. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  7. "Haftar forces seize women in Libya's Derna in push for surrender". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  8. Stephanie Kirchgaessner, Ruth Michaelson (25 September 2017). "General accused of war crimes courted by west in Libya". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  9. al-Shaeri, Ramzi (13 November 2018). "Libya's Haftar Brutally Strangled My City. He Should Not be Legitimized by the West". Newsweek. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  10. Reuters Editorial. "At least 15 killed in air strikes in east Libya -sources". AF. Archived from the original on October 31, 2017. Retrieved 2018-10-23. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
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