Siege of Derna

Siege of Derna
Part of Second Libyan Civil War
Date June 2016[1] - 28 June 2018 Location Derna, Libya Result Libyan National Army victory
Belligerents
House of Representatives  ISIL (limited involvement)[2]	Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna
Commanders and leaders
Khalifa Haftar Salem Rifadi[3] Adel Jehani  [3] Mohamed Fathi Al-Jamayel [2]	Ahmed Al-Habib †[4] Moaz Tashani [2]
Casualties and losses
15 or more civilains killed, 17 or more wounded[5]

The Siege of Derna was a military campaign by the Libyan National Army to capture the city of Derna, Which began after the end of the Derna campaign (2014–16). After besieging the city for 23 months, The LNA attacked the city on 7 May 2018, Starting the Battle of Derna (2018) and ultimately taking the city on 28 June 2018. The siege was criticized by the National Commission for Human Rights in Libya as a war crime^[6], as well as by the Government of National Accord^[7]

In August 2017, After the Mujihadeen Executed Air Colonel Adel Jehani, Whose plane was shot down by the Mujihadeen, 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, medicines, cooking gas, petrol or anything else would be allowed in^[3].

In October 2017, An airstrike hit derna, Killing at least 15 civilains and wounding 17 or more.^[8]

In December 2017, ISIL Member Mohamed Fathi Al-Jamayel was executed by the Derna Shura Council after a failed attempt on senior member Moaz Tashani^[2].

On 7 May 2018, The Libyan National Army started an offensive on Derna, And by the end of June had taken the city.

References