Road to stalemate?

BBC News - Libya crisis: The story so far BBC

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Skip to content Skip to local navigation Skip to bbc.co.uk navigation Skip to bbc.co.uk search Help Accessibility Help Africa Home UK Africa Asia-Pac Europe Latin America Mid-East South Asia US & Canada Business Health Sci/Environment Tech Entertainment Video 22 June 2011Last updated at 08:21 GMT Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print Libya crisis: The story so far Libyan rebels and government troops are locked in fierce battle, months after a popular uprising against Col Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year rule. With audio commentary by Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen, explore the chapters below, to find out how the crisis developed.

Violent protests 16 - 23 FebruaryToday the Libyans broke the barrier of fear, it is a new dawn."Exiled opposition leader Faiz Jibril

Hundreds have lost their lives in the bitter conflict that has been raging in Libya for almost five months.

It began with protests against Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime and has escalated into a bloody battle for territory between government and rebel forces in the west and east of the oil-rich country.

The uprising, inspired by events in neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt and sparked by the arrest of a Libyan human rights campaigner, began in February. Many were killed as authorities tried to suppress the revolt.

Some of the biggest demonstrations were seen in the eastern port of Benghazi - the centre of unrest.

Thousands of foreigners tried to flee Libya, with several countries evacuating citizens.

Libya unrest spreads

Rebel advance 24 February - 1 MarchMany of my neighbours died today. The sky is raining with bullets."Unnamed Tripoli resident

As days passed, rebel groups began to organise and co-ordinate from their Benghazi base. They set up committees to deliver basic services. Towns in the west fell to the rebels for the first time.

In retaliation, government forces launched ground assaults and carried out bombing raids. In Zawiya, 50km west of Tripoli, pro-Gaddafi troops surrounded the rebel-controlled city.

Unrest also continued in the capital, with anti-government protesters coming under gunfire from pro-Gaddafi troops.

Meanwhile, as the international community condemned the attacks on civilians, an operation to evacuate hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals got underway.

Jeremy Bowen interviews Col Gaddafi about Libya's unrest

Gaddafi retaliates 2 - 6 MarchWe are ready to hand out weapons to a million, or two million or three million, and another Vietnam will begin."Col Muammar Gaddafi in a speech broadcast on Libyan TV

As the government tightened its grip on Tripoli, rebel-held cities to the west and east attempted to fend off mounting loyalist attacks.

Security forces fired tear gas and baton rounds at protesters on the capital's streets after Friday prayers.

Battles raged in the coastal towns of Brega, Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad as pro-Gaddafi troops advanced into the east. Rebels succeeded in taking Ras Lanuf.

Fighting in the western city of Zawiya caused heavy casualties and Misrata came under renewed attack.

Col Gaddafi gave a rambling yet defiant speech, saying he would "fight until the last man".

Col Gaddafi's defiant speech

Crisis escalates 7 - 18 MarchI don't know how many are dead - they tore Zawiya down to ashes."A resident of Zawiya, west of Tripoli

Pro-Gaddafi forces retook the oil towns of Bin Jawad, Ras Lanuf and Brega. Using air strikes and helicopter gunships, they pushed rebels back along the coast.

Fierce fighting later took place in Ajdabiya and loyalists launched bombing raids on the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. Rebels deployed tanks, artillery and helicopters to repel the assault.

In western Libya, battles raged for days in Misrata and Zawiya, with the latter coming under control of government forces. A source in Zawiya said bullets had been flying in all directions and that women and children as young as five were among the dead. The government denied its troops were killing civilians.

As the crisis grew, the UN Security Council backed a no-fly zone over Libya in order to protect civilians.

As attack plans were drawn up under a UN resolution, Col Gaddafi's government declared a unilateral ceasefire, but his forces continued fighting.

Coalition bombing begins 19 - 20 MarchThe civilian population, which is demanding nothing more than the right to choose their own destiny, is in mortal danger."French President Nicolas Sarkozy

The coalition launched air strikes against Libyan targets after government forces, despite having called a ceasefire 24 hours earlier, began a fierce attack on the eastern rebel-held city of Benghazi.

French aircraft fired the first shots, attacking an armoured convoy west of Benghazi. French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced "all necessary means" would be used to prevent further civilian deaths.

France, the US and the UK took part in the early missions. US commanders said the strikes had succeeded in crippling Gaddafi's air capability to allow the effective enforcement of the no-fly zone.

The strikes also appeared to have halted the advance of the Libyan leader's forces on Benghazi. But Col Gaddafi remained defiant. "We promise you a long, drawn-out war with no limits," he said in a phone call to Libyan state TV. "We will fight inch by inch."

Tripoli defiant amid coalition raids

Advance and retreat 21 March - 15 AprilWhen I saw Gaddafi's forces [advancing], I couldn't stay at home and watch."Mahmoud, an 18-year-old political science student

As coalition bombing missions continued, forces loyal to Col Gaddafi were forced to pull back from the rebel stronghold of Benghazi along the eastern coast.

The rebels went on to recapture the key coastal towns of Ajdabiya, Brega, Uqayla, Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad. But rebels were later forced to retreat east of Brega.

Over the coming days, rival forces battled for control of Brega. Coalition planes mistakenly hit a rebel position forcing them to retreat beyond Ajdabiya.

Elsewhere, coalition air strikes hit key Libyan military targets including positions in Misrata, Sirte, Brega, Ajdabiya and Tripoli, where Col Gaddafi's al Aziziya compound was bombed. Nato took command of coalition operations.

Fighting continued in the western towns of Zintan and Yafran and the situation in the besieged city of Misrata deteriorated. Aid agencies said the humanitarian situation had become critical.

Battle for Misrata 16 - 25 AprilWe are exhausted by blood and exhausted by death."Dr Abdullah Jawad, casualty surgeon in Misrata

As battles raged in the east, the rebel-held western cities of Misrata and Zintan continued to come under rocket attack from Col Gaddafi's forces.

The intense shelling of Misrata became the focus of international concern, and boats began evacuating thousands of migrant workers trapped in the city.

As the UN moved food supplies into western Libya through a humanitarian corridor, the BBC saw evidence that cluster bombs were being used by pro-Gaddafi forces, a charge they denied.

The street battles led Nato countries to offer military advice and equipment to aid the rebel forces. Meanwhile, a Nato air strike badly damaged buildings in Col Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli.

Libya accused of using cluster bombs in Misrata

Stalemate? 26 April - presentSome days I think we'll never get anywhere. But we are making progress. Perhaps it's naive, delusional, but we believe we can win this war."Molly Tarhuni, a young academic

Nato repeatedly hit Tripoli and other targets as the coalition intensified operations. France and the UK later deployed attack helicopters to escalate strike power.

Missiles hit Col Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound, with one attack killing one of his sons and three grandchildren.

The International Criminal Court sought the arrest of the Libyan leader, his son, Saif al-Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi, for crimes against humanity.

In the west, rebels pushed government troops back from Misrata but fighting continued.

But, with Nato air power so far not ensuring rebel victory, many fear a stalemate that could last months.

Nato blamed for Tripoli civilian deaths

Select pageprevViolent protestsRebel advanceRetaliationCrisis escalatesBombing startsAdvance-retreatMisrata siegeStalemate?next More on This Story Libya Crisis Features and AnalysisCould Nato mission unravel?

The latest air strikes may have a significant impact upon perceptions of Nato's air campaign in Libya, says the BBC's Jonathan Marcus.

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