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73-560: The Mechili-Timimi portion of the road was paved between the years 1975–1980 and the Charruba-At Taban-Mechili segment between the years 1980–1985. This road has shortened the distance between Tobruk and Benghazi from some 470 kilometres (290 mi) along the Libyan Coastal Highway , to 450 kilometres (280 mi), and this route has become essential for traffic between the two cities. However,

146-505: A British tank brigade. The siege lasted until December, when Operation Crusader pushed the DAK and Italians back out of Cyrenaica. Rommel's second offensive took place in May and June 1942. Tobruk was taken in an outflanking attack on 21 June 1942 , capturing the largest number of British Commonwealth troops after the fall of Singapore earlier in the year, where over 80,000 were captured. Rommel

219-642: A Libyan woman who was abused by the Gaddafi government during the First Libyan Civil War , is from Tobruk. Omar Mukhtar was born in Zanjhur, near Tobruk. The city is served by Tobruk Airport , with two major domestic airlines serving it. Benghazi Benghazi ( / b ɛ n ˈ ɡ ɑː z i / ) ( lit. Son of [the] Ghazi ) is the second-most-populous city in Libya as well as

292-583: A board of chief magistrates ( ephors ) and a council of elders ( gerontes ). From 324 to 322 BC, the city supported the Spartan adventurer Thibron , who attempted to establish his own kingdom in Cyrenaica, but was defeated. The city came under the control of Ptolemy I and formed part of the breakaway kingdom of Magas of Cyrene after 276 BC. In 246 BC, during the power struggle following Magas' death, his daughter Berenice married Ptolemy III , bringing

365-718: A cruiser, two destroyers and several smaller ships and boats. Tobruk remained in Axis hands until 11 November 1942, when the Allies captured it after the Second Battle of El Alamein . It remained in Allied hands thereafter. Although not as much a reason for its strategic significance, the British built a rail line from El Alamein to Tobruk during the course of the war. This rail line was significant both for purposes of supply and as

438-642: A few Italian -related families, left from the colonial times before World War II . The overwhelming majority of Libyans in Benghazi were of Berber descent until the arrival of Bani Salim (Arabic tribe). In the 11th century, the Sa'adi tribes from the Banu Sulyam migrated to Cyrenaica; each sub-tribe from the Sa'adi historically controlled a section of Cyrenaica. Benghazi and its surrounding areas were controlled by Barghathi tribe. In modern times, Benghazi has seen

511-621: A hotel named Dar al-Salam also known as the Al Masira Hotel in Tobruk. In November 2014 that government was declared illegal by Libya's highest court. Professor Omar El Barasi (b. 1951), who once managed the Libyan branch of Society of Petroleum Engineers , and later became a deputy of Libya PM Abdurrahim El-Keib is from Tobruk and gained his doctorate in petroleum engineering from Waseda University , Japan . Eman al-Obeidi ,

584-765: A long steady retreat westward passing through Benghazi for the final time. On 20 November, Benghazi was captured by the British Eighth Army and thereafter held by the British. In August 1943 from Benina airport of Benghazi started the US attack on the Ploiești oil refineries with 178 B-24 bombers (called Operation Tidal Wave ), after an Italian " Arditi " paratroopers attack that destroyed some Allied aircraft in June 1943. Heavily bombed in World War II , Benghazi

657-616: A lot of Libyans from different parts of the country move into the city, especially since the Kingdom era. Many came to Benghazi from Misrata . Thus Benghazi has always been seen as a welcoming city, a city which the local Bedouins refer to as ' Benghazi rabayit al thayih ' which can be translated as, 'Benghazi raises the lost', as many immigrants who arrived from the Western Maghreb or the former Al Andalus came with little money, clothes or food and were looked after very generously by

730-583: A permanent ceasefire led by a unitary government in 2020. Benghazi remains a centre of Libyan commerce, industry, transport and culture, and one of the three largest cities in Libya with Tripoli and Misrata . It continues to hold institutions and organizations normally associated with a capital city, including several national government buildings as well as the National Library of Libya . Archaeological evidence shows that ancient Greeks settled on

803-431: A rich seasoning and as a medicine. The coinage suggests that the city must have enjoyed some autonomy from Cyrene in the early 5th century BC, when the issues of Euesperides had their own types with the legend EU (ES), distinct from those of Cyrene. The city was in hostile territory and was surrounded by inhospitable tribes. The Greek historian Thucydides mentions a siege of the city in 414 BC, by Libyans who were probably

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876-485: A safe refuge for himself against the resentment of the people of Cyrene. This proved ineffective, since when the king fled to Euesperides during the anticipated revolution (around 440 BC), he was assassinated, thus terminating the almost 200-year rule of the Battiad dynasty . An inscription found there and dated around the middle of the 4th century BC states that the city had a constitution similar to that of Cyrene , with

949-573: A sense of pride to the Allied troops, as the rail line was built through a little-populated, inhospitable desert. At the outset of the First Libyan Civil War , the city quickly came under the control of the NTC . In September 2014 the internationally recognized government of Libya relocated to a Greek car ferry in Tobruk harbor. A rival New General National Congress parliament continued to operate in Tripoli. In October 2014 they again re-located, to

1022-577: A shorter route between Tobruk and Benghazi along the Charruba - Abyar track measuring some 410 kilometres (250 mi) has not yet been paved. This Libya location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Tobruk Tobruk or Tobruck ( / t ə ˈ b r ʊ k , t oʊ -/ ; Ancient Greek : Ἀντίπυργος , Antipyrgos ; Latin : Antipyrgus ; Italian : Tobruch ; Arabic : طبرق , romanized :  Ṭubruq ; also transliterated as Tobruch and Tubruk )

1095-566: A strategic port location, one that was too useful to be ignored by the Ottomans. In 1578, the Turks conquered Benghazi and it was ruled from Tripoli by the Karamanlis from 1711 to 1835; it then passed under direct Ottoman rule until 1911. Greek and Italian sponge fishermen worked its coastal waters. In 1858, and again in 1874, Benghazi was devastated by bubonic plague . In 1911, Benghazi

1168-470: A strong sense of family life in the city; most teenagers and young adults live at home until they get married, though that is changing in recent years. Many Muslims in Benghazi adhere to the traditional Maliki school of religious law; however, it is much less so than in the past decades. Benghazi is said to be the most “liberal” city out of all Libya. The Senussi order from which the royal dynasty sprang has traditionally enjoyed strong support in Benghazi and

1241-400: A week and dug in at Sidi Barrani . In early December, British Empire forces—an armoured division and two infantry divisions—launched a counterstrike codenamed Operation Compass . The Italians had previously invaded Albania and occupied part of the south of France , and had now made a military incursion into a British protectorate . The counterstrike involved the British pocketing two of

1314-590: Is a port city on Libya 's eastern Mediterranean coast , near the border with Egypt . It is the capital of the Butnan District (formerly Tobruk District ) and has a population of 120,000 (2011 est.). Tobruk was the site of an ancient Greek colony and, later, of a Roman fortress guarding the frontier of Cyrenaica . Over the centuries, Tobruk also served as a waystation along the coastal caravan route . By 1911, Tobruk had become an Italian military post. During World War II , Allied forces, mainly

1387-497: Is a reasonable amount of ethnic diversity in Benghazi. The people of eastern Libya, Benghazi included, have in the past always been of predominantly Arab descent. In recent times, however, there has been an influx of African immigrants into Benghazi. There are also many Egyptian immigrants in Benghazi. A small Greek community also exists in Benghazi. The Greek island of Crete is a short distance from Benghazi, and many families in Benghazi today bear Cretan surnames. There are even

1460-499: Is also a decommissioned cathedral church (1929–1939; closed 1977; currently abandoned). For Egyptian Copts , there is a Coptic Orthodox church (which was formerly the grand synagogue) with two serving priests . Jews have lived in Benghazi, as they did elsewhere in Libya , from Roman times until 1967 when most were airlifted out after a series of riots in the years after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . However, there are no Jews remaining in Libya today. The oldest university in Libya

1533-585: Is the University of Libya , founded by royal decree in 1955. It was initially housed in the royal Al Manar Palace before receiving its own campus in 1968. It was later split and became known as University of Benghazi . There are some private universities such as Libyan International Medical University . Education in Benghazi, as throughout Libya, is compulsory and paid entirely by taxpayers. Compulsory education continues until ninth grade . There are many public primary and secondary schools scattered throughout

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1606-591: The Cyrenaican frontier. With the spread of Christianity, Antipyrgus became an episcopal see . Only one of its ancient bishops is known by name: Aemilianus, who took part in the Second Council of Constantinople in 553. No longer a residential bishopric, Antipyrgus is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see . Later the site became a way station on the caravan route that ran along

1679-603: The German Africa Corps , on 4 April. It was taken again during Operation Crusader by the British on 24 December only to change hands again on 29 January 1942 in the Rommel Afrika Corps' push to Egypt. During the fateful Battle of El Alamein –106 kilometres (66 miles) from Alexandria , Egypt–British troops led by general Bernard Montgomery again defeated the Afrika Corps which then made

1752-526: The Gulf of Sidra , lies a little southwest of the site of the ancient Greek city of Berenice or Berenicis or Bernici . That city was traditionally founded in 446 BC (different sources give different dates like 347 BC or 249 BC ), by a brother of the king of Cyrene , but got the name Berenice only when it was refounded in the 3rd century BC under the patronage of Berenice ( Berenike ), the daughter of Magas , king of Cyrene, and wife of Ptolemy III Euergetes ,

1825-765: The Libyan Army attempted to score a decisive victory against the NTC by attacking Benghazi, but was forced back by local resistance and intervention from the French Air Force authorized by UNSC Resolution 1973 to protect civilians, allowing the rebellion to continue. By 2014, a second civil war broke out in Libya between the House of Representatives and the Government of National Accord , with parts of Libya split between Tobruk- and Tripoli-based governance until

1898-454: The Persian expedition to Cyrenaica in c. 515 BC, where it is stated that the punitive force sent by the satrap of Egypt conquered Cyrenaica as far west as Euesperides. The oldest coins minted in the city date back to 480 BC. One side of those coins has an engraving of Delphi. The other side is an engraving of a silphium plant, once the symbol of trade from Cyrenaica because of its use as

1971-468: The 3rd century AD and during the Persian attacks; in 642–643 -when was conquered by the Arabs and partially destroyed- it had dwindled to an insignificant village among magnificent historic ruins. In its more prosperous period, Berenice became a Christian bishopric . The first of its bishops whose name is recorded in extant documents is Ammon, to whom Dionysius of Alexandria wrote in about 260. Dathes

2044-568: The Allies back across Cyrenaica to the Egyptian border, leaving Tobruk isolated and under siege . The defenders of the fortress consisted of the Australian 9th Division , the Australian 18th Brigade and some British tanks and artillery. They were later reinforced and replaced by the British 70th Infantry Division , Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade , a Czechoslovak battalion and

2117-486: The Arabian Peninsula, working with the local government to manage security in Benghazi. U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens , Foreign Service Information Management Officer (IMO) Sean Smith , and CIA contractors and former Navy SEALs Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty were killed during a series of raids, commencing at nightfall and continuing into the next morning. Ten others were injured. Following

2190-621: The Australian 6th Division , took Tobruk on 22 January 1941. The Australian 9th Division (" The Rats of Tobruk ") pulled back to Tobruk to avoid encirclement after actions at Er Regima and Mechili and reached Tobruk on 9 April 1941. There prolonged fighting followed, against a siege by German and Italian forces. Although the siege was lifted by Operation Crusader in November 1941, a renewed offensive by Axis forces under Erwin Rommel

2263-583: The Cyrenaica. For Muslims, there are many mosques throughout Benghazi; the oldest and best known (such as the Atiq and Osman mosques) are located in and around the medina . There is also a small Christian community in the city. The Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Benghazi 's Franciscan Church of the Immaculate Conception serves Benghazi's Latin Catholic community of roughly 4,000; there

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2336-547: The Italian camps against the Mediterranean, forcing their surrender. This led to a general Italian retreat to El Agheila . Tobruk was captured by British, Australian and Indian forces on 22 January 1941. Italy called on her German ally, which sent an army corps , under the name Deutsches Afrika Korps (DAK). Italy also sent several more divisions to Libya. These forces, under Lieutenant-General Erwin Rommel , drove

2409-475: The Libyan Government of National Unity: the eastern coast, Jabal Al-Akhdar, Al-Hizam, Benghazi , Al-Wahat, Al-Kufra, Al-Khaleej, Al-Margab, Tripoli, Al-Jafara, Al-Zawiya, West Coast, Gheryan, Zintan, Nalut, Sabha, Al-Wadi, and Murzuq Basin. Benghazi Baladiyah is divided into 32 Basic People's Congress administrative divisions, in which the responsibilities of the corresponding political units of

2482-657: The Nasamones: Euesperides was saved by the unexpected arrival of the Spartan general Gylippus and his fleet, who were blown to Libya by contrary winds on their way to Sicily . One of the Cyrenean kings whose fate is connected with the city is Arcesilaus IV . The king used his chariot victory at the Pythian Games of 462 BC to attract new settlers to Euesperides, where Arcesilaus hoped to create

2555-626: The Sahara desert. An Ancient Greek agricultural colony, Antipyrgus ( Ancient Greek : Ἀντίπυργος , Antipyrgos ) was once on the site of modern Tobruk, and the ancient name is still occasionally in use. The name roughly meant "across from Pyrgos ", referring to a location in Crete across the Mediterranean Sea from Antipyrgos. In the Roman era, the town became a Roman fortress guarding

2628-596: The Senussi royal dynasty and one of the first to rebel against Muammar Gaddafi in the Arab Spring . Tobruk has a strong, naturally protected deep harbour . It is probably the best natural port in northern Africa , although due to the lack of important nearby land sites it is certainly not the most popular. The city is effectively surrounded by a desert lightly populated with nomadic herdsmen who travel from oasis to oasis. There are many escarpments (cliffs) to

2701-494: The Tibesti was cordoned off. On 19 May 2012, residents of Benghazi voted in historic local elections ; this was the first time such elections have been held in the city since the 1960s, and turnout was high. On 11 September 2012, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi was attacked by a heavily armed group of 125–150 gunmen, whose trucks bore the logo of Ansar al-Sharia , a group of Islamist militants, also known as Al Qaeda in

2774-540: The centre of Cyrenaica. The city went into decline during the Byzantine period and had already been reduced to a small town before its conquest by the Arabs . After around four centuries of peaceful Ottoman rule , in 1911, Italy captured Benghazi and the rest of Tripolitania from the Ottoman Empire . Under Italian rule , Benghazi witnessed a period of extensive development and modernization, particularly in

2847-472: The city of Benghazi in a major offensive , but were forced back the next day when NATO forces began implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 . On 1 June, explosives were detonated in a car near the Tibesti Hotel , with a rebel spokesman calling the bombing a "cowardly act". It was suspected that an officer was killed, and many people started to shout out anti-Gaddafi chants while

2920-503: The city. Two local radio stations, operated by Voice of Free Libya , along with a newspaper, were also established. From 26 February to 26 August, Benghazi was the temporary headquarters of the National Transitional Council which is led by the former justice minister, Mustafa Abdul Jalil , until Tripoli was liberated. On 19 March, pro-Gaddafi forces almost defeated the rebellion when they began attacking

2993-516: The coast. At the beginning of World War II , Libya was an Italian colony and Tobruk became the site of important battles between the Allies and Axis powers . Tobruk was strategically important to the conquest of Eastern Libya, then the province of Cyrenaica, for several reasons. Tobruk had a deep, natural, and protected harbour, which meant that even if the port were bombed, ships would still be able to anchor there and be safe from squalls , so

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3066-503: The desert while Commandos attacked from the sea. A preparatory air raid by RAF heavy bombers served only to alert the Italian and German defenders. The special forces were unable to silence the coastal artillery batteries and the seaborne assault had to be abandoned after some of the Commandos had been landed in the wrong place. The retiring vessels were then attacked from the air. The British sustained almost 800 casualties, together with

3139-471: The desert, getting cut off in this area was disastrous. Therefore, whoever held both Suluq and Tobruk controlled the majority of Cyrenaica. Finally, 24 km (15 mi) south of the port was the largest airfield in eastern Libya. This was significant due to the importance of air power in desert warfare. Italian forces (and their native Libyan allies—about two divisions of the latter) invaded Egypt in early September 1940 but halted their advance after

3212-462: The following year resulted in Tobruk being captured in June 1942. It was held by the Axis forces until November 1942, when it was recaptured by the Allies. Rebuilt after World War II , Tobruk was later expanded during the 1960s to include a port terminal linked by an oil pipeline to the Sarir oil field . King Idris of Libya had his palace at Bab Zaytun. Tobruk was traditionally a stronghold of

3285-593: The government of Muammar Gaddafi occurred in the city. The revolt spread by 17 February to Bayda , Tobruk , Ajdabya , Al Marj in the East and Zintan , Zawiya in the West, calling for the end of the Gaddafi regime. Benghazi was seized by Gaddafi opponents on 21 February, who founded the National Transitional Council . On 19 March 2011, the city was the site of the turning point of the Libyan Civil War , when

3358-674: The largest city in Cyrenaica , with an estimated population of 859,000 in 2023. Located on the Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean , Benghazi is also a major seaport. A Greek colony named Euesperides had existed in the area from around 525 BC. In the 3rd century BC, it was relocated and refounded as the Ptolemaic city of Berenice. Berenice prospered under the Romans, and after the 3rd century AD it superseded Cyrene and Barca as

3431-662: The last militant-held district in December 2017. On 23 October 2020, the 5+5 Joint Libyan Military Commission representing the LNA and the GNA reached a " permanent ceasefire agreement in all areas of Libya ". The agreement, effective immediately, required that all foreign fighters leave Libya within three months while a joint police force would patrol disputed areas. The first commercial flight between Tripoli and Benghazi took place that same day. On 10 March 2021, an interim unity government

3504-403: The leadership of Muammar Gaddafi staged a coup d'état in 1969, whereafter all government institutions were concentrated in Tripoli, Even though King Idris was forced into exile and the monarchy abolished, support for the Senussi dynasty remained strong in Cyrenaica. This was emphasized by real or perceived injustices from the government towards the people of Benghazi, including the demolition in

3577-524: The local Bedouin population as well as those arriving following the Italian war from western Libya. The predominant religion in Benghazi is Islam . Almost all of the city's inhabitants are Sunni Muslims. During Islamic holidays such as Ramadan, most abstain from food; restaurants are usually empty during the day, with the exception of some expatriates and tourists. Alcohol is banned by law in Benghazi and throughout Libya in accordance with government regulations. The often conservative nature of Benghazi creates

3650-560: The outbreak of the second Libyan Civil War in 2014, Benghazi became the subject of heavy fighting between the Libyan National Army -aligned House of Representatives government, and the Islamist Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries and ISIL -aligned Wilayat Barqa , which were entrenched in various pockets in the city. During the closing months of the battle, between late-2016 and mid-2017, much of

3723-532: The people to fight back and try to overthrow Gaddafi from power in The Libyan Revolution . At least 500 people were killed in the protests against the government. The former Libyan flag used in the Kingdom of Libya was used by many protesters as an opposition flag. Demonstrators were also seen carrying images of King Idris I. Benghazi and the Cyrenaica have been traditional strongholds of

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3796-527: The port could never be rendered wholly useless regardless of military bombardment . This was of critical importance, as it made Tobruk an excellent place to supply a desert warfare campaign. It was also heavily fortified by the Italians prior to their invasion of Egypt in November 1940. In addition to these prepared fortifications, there were a number of escarpments and cliffs to the south of Tobruk, providing substantial physical barriers to any advance on

3869-445: The port over land. Tobruk was also on a peninsula, allowing it to be defended by a minimal number of troops, which the Allies used to their advantage when the port was under siege. An attacker could not simply bypass the defenders, for if they did, the besieged would sally forth and cut off the nearby supply lines of the attacker, spoiling their advance. But Tobruk was also strategically significant, due to its location with regard to

3942-440: The region back under Ptolemaic control. Euesperides was relocated to a new site underneath Benghazi's modern city centre and renamed Berenice . The move may have been due to the silting up of the lagoons, but there is no archaeological evidence for economic decline in the preceding period, and it is more likely that the refoundation was punishment for having opposed Berenice and Ptolemy's assumption of power. Modern Benghazi, on

4015-420: The remainder of Cyrenaica. Attackers from the east who had secured Tobruk could then advance through the desert to Benghazi , cutting off all enemy troops along the coast, such as those at Derna . This advance would be protected from counterattack , due to escarpments that were quite difficult for a military force to climb, running generally from Tobruk to Suluq . Due to the importance of maintaining supply in

4088-502: The royal Senussi dynasty. By 21 February, the city was reported to be largely controlled by the opposition. The widely loathed mayor, Huda Ben Amer , nicknamed "the Executioner", had fled the city for Tripoli. Residents organised to direct traffic and collect refuse. By 24 February, a committee made up of lawyers, judges and respected local people had been formed in order to provide civic administration and public services within

4161-402: The ruler of Egypt. The new city was later given the name Hesperides , in reference to the Hesperides , the guardians of the mythic western paradise. The name may have also referred to green oases in low-lying areas in the nearby coastal plain. Benghazi later became a Roman city and greatly prospered for 600 years. The city superseded Cyrene and Barca as the chief center of Cyrenaica after

4234-816: The same name fall. The official 32 Basic People's Congresses of Benghazi are: 1 Al-Magroon 2 Al-Saahil al-Gharbi 3 Karkoora 4 Gimeenis 5 Suluq 6 Al-Khadhraa 7 Al-Nawagiya 8 Al-Magziha 9 Al-Keesh 10 Garyounis 11 Al-Fuwayhat 12 Al-Berka 13 Bu-Fakhra 14 Jarrutha 15 Al-Quwarsha 16 Bu Atni 17 Benina 18 Al-Kwayfiya 19 Sidi Khalifa 20 Al-Hawari 21 Al-Thawra al-Shabiyah 22 Shuhadaa al-Salawi 23 Madinat Benghazi 24 Sidi Hsayn 25 Al-Sabri 26 Sidi Abayd 27 Al-Salmani 28 Raas Abayda 29 Benghazi al-Jadida 30 Al-Uruba 31 Hay al-Mukhtar 32 Al-Hadaa'iq As with other cities in Libya, there

4307-454: The second half of the 1930s under the Italian Libya colony. The city changed hands several times during World War II and was heavily damaged in the process. After the war Benghazi was rebuilt and became the co-capital of the newly independent Kingdom of Libya . Following the 1969 coup d'état by Muammar Gaddafi , Benghazi lost its capital status and all government offices relocated to Tripoli . On 15 February 2011 , an uprising against

4380-401: The site of Benghazi in the late seventh century BC. They called the city Euesperides ( Ancient Greek : Εὐεσπερίδες ) and Hesperis ( Ancient Greek : Ἑσπερίς ). Euesperides was most likely founded by people from Cyrene or Barce , which was located on the edge of a lagoon which opened from the sea. At the time, this area may have been deep enough to receive small sailing vessels. The name

4453-423: The south of Tobruk, as is common across Cyrenaica, the eastern half of Libya. These escarpments generally have their high sides to the south and their low sides ( dip slopes ) to the north. This constitutes a substantial physical barrier between the north and south of Libya in the Tobruk area. Previously, Tobruk was some 470 km (290 mi) from Benghazi through the Libyan Coastal Highway , but this distance

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4526-400: The two countries as well as those from Bayda and Derna . Tobruk suffers a serious saltwater intrusion problem. A factory for the desalination of sea water has been built there. Tobruk features a hot desert climate ( BWh according to the Köppen climate classification .) However, its maritime location allows it to receive significantly more precipitation than areas further inland in

4599-521: The urban center in and around the remaining Shura Council pocket in the central coastal quarters of Suq Al-Hout and al-Sabri suffered heavy bombardment and war damage. Wilayat Barqa militants reportedly fled Benghazi in early January, while the LNA's General Khalifa Haftar declared the city cleared of the Shura Council on 5 July 2017. Despite Haftar's declaration of the liberation of the city, dozens of gunmen remained fortified and besieged in Sidi Akribesh, according to sources close to military. LNA captured

4672-543: The year 2000 of the arena of football club Alahly Benghazi S.C. , following anti-government protests. On 15 April 1986, U.S. Air Force and Navy planes bombed Benghazi and Tripoli . President Ronald Reagan justified the attacks by claiming Libya was responsible for terrorism directed at the United States, including the bombing of La Belle discothèque in West Berlin ten days before. In February 2011, peaceful protests erupted in Benghazi that were brutally suppressed by Gaddafi's armed forces and loyalists. The violence urged

4745-444: Was at the First Council of Nicaea in 325, and Probatius at a synod held in Constantinople in 394. No longer a residential bishopric, Berenice is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see . In the 13th century, the small settlement became an important player in the trade growing up between Genoese merchants and the tribes of the hinterland. In 16th century maps, the name of Marsa ibn Ghazi appears. Benghazi had

4818-413: Was attributed to the fertility of the neighborhood, which gave rise to the mythological associations of the garden of the Hesperides . The ancient city existed on a raised piece of land opposite of what is now the Sidi-Abayd graveyard in the Northern Benghazi suburb of Sbikhat al-Salmani (al-Salmani Marsh ). The city is first mentioned by ancient sources in Herodotus ' account of the revolt of Barca and

4891-419: Was formed, which was slated to remain in place until the next Libyan presidential election scheduled for 10 December. However, the election has been delayed several times since, effectively rendering the unity government in power indefinitely, causing tensions which threaten to reignite the war. Benghazi District is one of Libya's 22 shabiyahs (people's districts). In 2022, 18 provinces were declared by

4964-420: Was going to be connected in 1940 by a new railway to Tripoli, but in summer of that year war started between Italians and British and infrastructure development came to a standstill. In World War II Benghazi changed hands several times. During Operation Compass the city was captured from the Italians by Combe Force on 6 February 1941. Benghazi was recaptured by Axis powers , led by general Erwin Rommel of

5037-439: Was invaded and conquered by the Italians. Nearly half the local population of Cyrenaica under the leadership of Omar Mukhtar resisted the Italian occupation. In the early 1930s, the revolt was over and the Italians—under governor Italo Balbo —started attempts to assimilate the local population with pacifying policies: a number of new villages for Cyrenaicans were created with health services and schools. Additionally Cyrenaica

5110-415: Was later rebuilt with the country's newly found oil wealth as a gleaming showpiece of modern Libya . It became the capital city of Emirate of Cyrenaica (1949–1951) under Idris Senussi I . In 1951, Cyrenaica was merged with Tripolitania and Fezzan to form the independent Kingdom of Libya , of which both Benghazi and Tripoli were capital cities. Benghazi lost its capital status when the Free Officers under

5183-457: Was populated by more than 20,000 Italian colonists in the late 1930s, mainly around the coast of Benghazi. Benghazi population was made up of more than 35 per cent of Italians in 1939. As a consequence, there was in Cyrenaica and mostly in Benghazi a huge economic development in the second half of the 1930s. Benghazi grew to be a modern city with a new airport, new railway station, new seaplane station, an enlarged port and many facilities. Benghazi

5256-525: Was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall , shortly thereafter and was the youngest in the Wehrmacht Heer to achieve this rank. The following units were deployed in Tobruk on 20 June 1942, and most of them were captured by the Axis forces: A British raid on Tobruk on 13–14 September 1942, codenamed Operation Agreement , intended to destroy port facilities and stores being used to support the Axis forces further west. Special forces approached from across

5329-594: Was shortened to 450 km (280 mi) after the construction of the Charruba–Timimi Road between the years 1975 and 1985. Construction of the Tobruk–Ajdabiya Road reduced the distance between those two cities from 620 km (390 mi) to about 410 km (250 mi). Because it is approximately 150 km (93 mi) away from Egypt by land, Tobruk is also an important hub for merchants from both Egypt and Libya , and for travellers between

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