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40-827: The Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade, also known as the Free Tripoli Guardian, was a unit of the National Liberation Army of Libya created during the First Libyan Civil War that merged into the Tripoli Protection Force . Originally formed in April 2011 in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi , it later relocated to the Nafusa Mountains , then the closest frontline to Tripoli, before advancing into

80-617: A Tripoli revolutionary brigade was put before the Benghazi-based National Transitional Council, and was immediately approved. Within days the Tripoli Brigade had 150 recruits. They received basic military training before transferring to the mountains in the western provinces. By August 2011, the brigade had 570 men from all over the country within its ranks. The brigade started with a core group of 15 men, but grew within days to 150, during

120-408: A military battle with Tripoli Military Council forces between the villages of Taruna and Bani Walid. The battleground is in north-west Libya, near Misrata. He stated Khamis was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries. He was then reportedly buried in the area by rebel forces. There was no independent evidence to support the claim. The brigade has been guarding Tripoli's airports, as well as

160-515: A non-stop artillery shelling of advancing rebel troops. In response a large anti-aircraft artillery piece fired rounds at loyalist troops. The Tripoli Brigade took a key military base and the 27th bridge, a gateway to the capital, just a day after defeating loyalist troops in Zawiya. Divided into four battalions the Brigade attacked the capital from three directions. The only impediment to a rush into

200-504: A patient they had shot earlier in the day. Tripoli Brigade guards prevented them from doing so and a firefight broke out which left two dead and seven wounded, Members of the brigade also volunteered to join the side of the anti-Assad rebels in Syria during the Syrian civil war in 2012. The brigade's Commander-in-Chief is a Libyan-Irish citizen Colonel Mahdi al-Harati . He was described by

240-796: A report of 3 to 6 March. The opposition force taking Brega and Ra's Lanuf during an advance of 2–4 March was estimated as numbering between 500 and 1,000 men. In the Nafusa Mountains alone there are up to 2,000 rebel fighters. After being driven back to the outskirts of Benghazi, the Free Libyan Army took the offensive once more on 25 March. In a string of victories the rebels retook the cities of Ajdabiya, Brega, Ra's Lanuf and Bin Jawad and were advancing to Sirte . However, after being in position for 48 hours, they were forced to withdraw from Bin Jawad and Ra's Lanuf again. The front line

280-474: A substantial number of weapons captured from abandoned Libyan army depots, including AK-47 and FN FAL rifles, RPGs , SPGs , anti-aircraft guns and several tanks . The National Liberation Army had at least 3,000 soldiers after initial defections from the Libyan Armed Forces, and later more than 17,000 at its peak. The force was formerly named the Free Libyan Army, but it was changed at

320-682: Is often referred to as an elite brigade by the National Transitional Council and the media. This is not an accurate description as very few are professional soldiers. In a media interview in Tripoli, Commander Harati said his battalion is not an elite armed force and that it is "important to understand that we are all civilians. We are not the military". The enrolling register counts many professionals among its members including doctors, businessmen, mechanics, engineers, and web designers. Their main aim, once in control of Tripoli,

360-677: Is one of the strongest militias in Libya. Zintani Brigades detained Saif al-Islam Gaddafi after his capture in November 2011. One of its leaders, Osama al-Juwali , served as the Libyan defense minister from November 2011 to November 2012. The brigade is currently led by Mukhtar Kalifah Shahub, a former Libyan navy officer. The group has various Arabic-language media outlets. These include a satellite channel called Libya al-Watan and several websites and pages on Facebook . The Zintan Brigades have been

400-417: Is the brigade's General Commander. Col Abdul Latif is the commander of Seraai al-Hamra, one of the four sub-brigades of the overall Tripoli Brigade. In February 2011 Mahdi al-Harati travelled from Ireland to Benghazi and began to create a well-organised group that could fight in the western provinces of Libya. He gathered 15 highly educated men, all of whom had extensive expertise and skills. The proposal for

440-453: Is the commander of Seraai al-Hamra, one of the four brigades. Husam Najjair, Head of Security. Irish born relative of the Brigade's Commander-in-Chief. The brigade's physical trainer is a former soccer player from a club in Munich. National Liberation Army (Libya) The National Liberation Army ( Arabic : جيش التحرير الوطني الليبي jaysh al-taḥrīr al-waṭanī al-lībī ), officially

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480-529: The Italian occupation . The NLA finally succeeded in defeating the last pro-Gaddafi remnants on 20 October 2011, during heavy fighting in Sirte , and captured Muammar Gaddafi himself, who later died of bullet wounds after his capture, effectively ending the Libyan civil war. The current status of the organisation following the Libyan provisional government's "declaration of liberation" was its reorganization into

520-638: The Libyan National Army . As of November 2011, the National Transitional Council is in the process of restructuring the army, with military personnel who defected from the Gaddafi regime and former rebel fighters of the National Liberation Army forming the basis is the new Libyan National Army . Major General Khalifa Haftar was chosen as the overall commander of the new Libyan Army due to his military experience and loyalty to

560-804: The National Liberation Armed Forces of the Free Libyan Republic , formerly known as the Free Libyan Army , was a Libyan military organisation affiliated with the National Transitional Council , which was constituted during the First Libyan Civil War by defected military members and civilian volunteers, in order to engage in battle against both remaining members of the Libyan Armed Forces and paramilitia loyal to

600-528: The Dutch daily newspaper Volkskrant as being a face of the battle of Tripoli and one of the most important commanders in the National Liberation Army . Deputy chief of Tripoli Military Council . He resigned from his post in November 2011. Abu Oweis acts as deputy commander. Issam Shabaan, the son of Gaddafi's first defence minister, Mohammad Shabaan, is the NATO liaison with the Brigade. Col. Abdul Latif,

640-582: The Nafusa Mountain range, and to the capital. The brigade has several officers who have lived most of their lives in English speaking countries including Ireland, Canada, UK and the US. This proved vital with co-ordination with NATO and also in interviews and interaction with western media. The Brigade has an English language Facebook page. Although the Brigade is not an elite force, its Nalut headquarters

680-459: The Tripoli Brigade took command of the Women's police training centre as their headquarters. The Tripoli Brigade, alongside rebel forces from Misrata, were also the first to punch through the main gates of Gaddafi's former residence, Bab al Azizia. The UK Daily Telegraph reported of the brigade "The rebels pushing into Tripoli are young professionals fighting to establish a very different country from

720-514: The Tripoli Brigade, after a heated argument over who should police Tripoli and attempted to prevent them from leaving the area. Tripoli Brigade reinforcements arrived and convinced the Kekka brigade to withdraw, preventing any armed clashes breaking out. Fighting broke out on 31 October between the Tripoli Brigade and a brigade from Zintan when the Zintanians attempted to enter a hospital and kill

760-693: The United States. It is not exactly known what equipment was in use at the end of the war but reports from journalists reveal the following were in use (limited in some cases as in tank and armor because of unavailability of spare parts ). Camouflage clothing was provided by Qatar. Rebels were also seen in Ajdabiya wearing the military fatigues. Note: Both the Soko G-2, and Mil Mi-2 were captured at Misrata Airport on 24 February 2011. Zintan Brigades#Organization The Zintan Brigades are under

800-574: The aftermath of the civil war. Also in December, large numbers of former rebels were being given jobs in the new army, whilst the government also announced that they would be free to join the special forces and the navy too. According to Osama al-Juwali , the defense minister, "the idea [was] to inject new blood in the army which was marginalized by the tyrant (Gaddafi)". General Yousef Mangoush said on 5 January 2012 that Libya's new army faces major obstacles such as rebuilding bases destroyed during

840-590: The attack. The Misrata Brigade with heavier trucks and artillery guns broke the perimeter of the compound and the Tripoli Brigade provided the infantry that flooded through the breached walls. An English reporter quoted in the Irish Times spoke of the Commander-in-chief 'rallying the troops' during the storming at the compound. The brigade's website reported that its media team had to take up rifles during this attack in which they took 100 prisoners. In

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880-475: The brigade's volunteer fighters are from Tripoli, or nearby towns and villages, and know the city streets well, making them prime candidates for taking the city. Based in Nalut University, the brigade numbers about 1300 armed fighters. The brigade saw action throughout the 2011 Nafusa Mountains Campaign including in the towns of Nalut, Bir Ghanem and Tiji, in combat against loyalist forces . Due to

920-483: The capital was on another front line, outside the town of Azizia, the Tripoli Brigade and allies from the western mountain forces were ordered to hold back while the alliance carried out heavy bombing raids on loyalist positions there. The Tripoli Brigade were reported to be the first revolutionaries to enter the city and the first to enter the main Green Square, that was renamed Martyr Square. On entering Tripoli

960-453: The city itself in August. In November 2011, the brigade began taking measures to disband and integrate itself more with the N.T.C.'s new national army, the brigade announced over its Twitter account. The brigade's Commander-in-Chief is Libyan-Irish citizen Mahdi al-Harati , Khalid Abozakkar is deputy commander and co founder in [Nalut], and Abu Oweis is deputy commander. Muhammad Tabouni

1000-541: The conflict, as well as disarming militas that were not part of the new army. National Army commander General Khalifa Hifter said later that it could take between three and five years for Libya to field a capable enough army to protect its borders. No reliable estimate on the total strength of the Army exists. Training camps are being organized in Benghazi , Bayda and Ajdabiya attended by "thousands of men" according to

1040-442: The dictatorship founded well before they were born". France 24 TV channel had a reporter travelling with the Tripoli Brigade during the final assault on the capital. It reported that the brigade lost sixty fighters during the first 48 hours in Tripoli. The Tripoli brigade were front-line troops during the taking of Colonel Gaddafi's famous residential compound, Bab al Azizia. Officers from the Tripoli Brigade were reported as leading

1080-504: The end of May 2011 to "help better define the increasingly professional and disciplined military efforts to overcome the Gaddafi regime", according to a statement released by the National Transitional Council. It uses the tricolour flag first adopted by Libya in 1951, which has become emblematic of the Libyan Republic and the revolt against Gaddafi; considering that the flag is the same sign of Libya's independence and freedom from

1120-488: The hotels of foreign journalists and diplomats since they took the city. On 5 October, a new batch of recruits successfully graduated and became part of the Tripoli Brigade. The same day, the head of the brigade announced that two mass graves had been uncovered in and around Tripoli containing up 900 bodies of Gaddafi's opponents. On 10 October, members of the Kekka Brigade from Zintan, attempted to surround some of

1160-711: The leadership of the Zintan Revolutionaries' Military Council and currently consist of: The Airport Security Battalion (for Tripoli International Airport ) was linked to the Zintan Brigades, but its current status is uncertain. The Zintan Revolutionaries' Military Council was formed in May 2011 to organize the military efforts and effectiveness of 23 militias in Zintan and the Nafusa mountains. The Council

1200-517: The offensive. They have battled for control of Benghazi , Misrata , Brega , Ajdabiya , Zawiya and Ra's Lanuf as well as several towns in the Nafusa Mountains . They finally began the Battle for Tripoli in August 2011 when they attacked from the west of the city, as well as fomenting an internal uprising on 20 August. There were claims that there were 8,000 soldiers in Benghazi equipped with

1240-420: The revolution that overthrew Gaddafi. The Libyan Army only numbered "a few thousand" trained soldiers in November 2011, and was rapidly trying to train up new fighters who could keep the peace nationwide and deter rogue militias from acting without NTC orders, and was responsible for brokering a ceasefire on at least one occasion in November between warring militas from Zawiya and Al Maya. On 1 December 2011, it

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1280-516: The rule of Muammar Gaddafi . Its self proclaimed chief commander was General Khalifa Haftar , although the National Transitional Council preferred to appoint Major General Abdul Fatah Younes Al-Obeidi as its commander-in-chief. It had prepared for some time in portions of Eastern Libya controlled by the anti-Gaddafi forces for eventual full-on combat in Western Libya against pro-Gaddafi militants, training many men before beginning to go on

1320-456: The threat of perceived reprisals against the families of Tripoli brigade soldiers, their faces must be covered, at least when being filmed by journalists. Many of the brigade's members were involved during the 2011 Tripoli clashes in February, and fled the capital to avoid loyalist forces, and then regrouped in later months to form the Tripoli Brigade, with the ultimate goal of advancing out of

1360-518: The training period in Zintan and Nalut numbers swelled to 470, and was recorded at 570 at Zawiya. During the assault to enter Tripoli the brigade was reported in the UK Telegraph newspaper to number just under 1,000. On 30 August the brigade had swelled to 1300 fighters in Tripoli. Its General commander also stated that it had troops waiting to join once the brigade entered Tripoli. The majority of

1400-479: The weeks after the fall of the Gaddafi Government in Tripoli the brigade took a major role in the securing the city and clearing it of the few remaining pockets of resistance. The commander of the brigade was appointed second in command of the newly formed Tripoli Military council. This council's aim is to unify the country's various armed brigades. Mahdi al-Harati said that Khamis Gaddafi was killed after

1440-593: The western coastline including Tripoli itself. Each soldier has also been given an ID card with photo, name, brigade-name, and their blood type. These ID cards are either in the form of paper in plastic slips or plastic cards. Some of the Brigades reported on by International journalists are as follows: The equipment of the National Liberation Army came primarily from abandoned Army depots, Libyan military defectors (notably in eastern Libya, Benghazi , Bayda , and Ajdabiya ), Egyptian Armed Forces , France, Qatar and

1480-407: Was described by AP news agency as 'high tech'. It did receive communications equipment and three-week's urban warfare training from Qatari special forces in the Nafusa mountains. It is noted for its extreme training; during which recruits woke at 5:30 a.m. for a 45-minute run, followed by daylong marching and weapons training. The brigade has also created an eight-man urban sniper unit. The brigade

1520-484: Was reported that the National Liberation Army was to integrate up to 50,000 former rebel fighters into the new Libyan national army and police forces, with the aid of French training, with long-term aims to integrate as many as 200,000 fighters from the brigades that had fought against Gaddafi during the civil war. In December 2011, Turkey agreed to provide training to the Libyan Army as it attempted to reorganize in

1560-523: Was than in the region of Brega and Ajdabiya for several months, with additional front lines in Misrata and the Nafusa Mountains . In late August Rebels in the east were finally able to retake Brega and several other cities closing in on Sirte. At the same time rebels in Misrata were able to push out of the city and secured all surrounding towns, and rebels in the Nafusa Mountains were able to take most of

1600-418: Was to control and protect strategic locations, infrastructure and other important sites. On 20 August, a large uprising broke out in Tripoli, with rebel forces speeding towards the capital from the west and the east. The Tripoli Brigade was the spearhead of the rebel fighters assault on Tripoli. In a 32 kilometer push launched at dawn, the Tripoli Brigade reached the suburbs of Tripoli by early afternoon following

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