Background of discontent with General National Congress
At the beginning of 2014, Libya was governed by thePolitical fragmentation of the GNC
The 2012 elections, overseen by the Libyan electoral commission with the support of the UN Special Mission In Libya (UNSMIL) and nongovernmental organizations like the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), have been considered "fair and free" by most Libyans. However, the elections did not necessarily create a strong government because the Parliament was fragmented due to the lack of organized political parties in Libya post-revolution. The GNC was made up of two major parties, the National Forces Alliance and the Justice and Construction Party, as well as independents in which some were moderates and other conservative Islamists. The GNC became a broad-based congress. The GNA electedLibya Revolutionaries Operations Room and kidnapping of Ali Zeidan
{{Main, Libya Revolutionaries Operations Room The GNC was challenged due to increasing security concerns in Tripoli. The GNC itself was attacked many times by militias and armed protesters who stormed the GNC assembly hall.{{cite web , url=http://www.dw.com/en/two-lawmakers-shot-in-libya-as-protesters-storm-parliament/a-17468646 , title=Two lawmakers shot in Libya as protesters storm parliament, date=2014-03-03, work=Deutsche Welle, access-date=2016-12-07 Following his appointment, Abusahmain was tasked with providing security. He set up theExpansion of armed groups during the GNC's term
Many Libyans blamed the GNC and the interim government for a continued lack of security in the country. The interim government struggled to control well-armed militias and armed groups that established during the revolution. Libyans in Benghazi especially began to witnessGNC's political isolation law
Although Islamists were outnumbered by Liberals andSuppression of women's rights
GNC opponents argue that it was supporting Islamist actions against women. Sadiq Ghariani, theGNC extends its mandate without elections
The GNC failed to stand down at the end of its electoral mandate in January 2014, unilaterally voting on 23 December 2013 to extend its power for at least one year. This caused widespread unease and some protests. Residents of the eastern city of Shahat, along with protesters from Bayda and Sousse, staged a large demonstration, rejecting the GNC's extension plan and demanding the resignation of the congress followed by a peaceful power transition to a legitimate body. They also protested the lack of security, blaming the GNC for failing to build the army and police. Other Libyans rejecting the proposed mandate rallied in Tripoli's Martyrs Square and outside Benghazi's Tibesti Hotel, calling for the freeze of political parties and the re-activation of the country's security system.{{cite web, url=http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2014/02/10/feature-02, title=Libyans reject GNC extension, publisher=Magharebia, date=10 February 2014, access-date=20 August 2014, author1=Mohamed, Essam , author2=Al-Majbari, Fathia On 14 February 2014, GeneralHouse of Representatives versus GNC
On 25 May 2014, about one week after Khalifa Haftar started his "Operation Dignity" offensive against the General National Congress, that body set 25 June 2014 as the date for new elections.{{cite web , url=http://www.ignc.net.ly/the-thirty-fifth-report/ , title=The Thirty-Fifth Report – May 15 – May 30, 2014 , publisher=Eye on the General National Congress , date=15 June 2014 , access-date=29 August 2014 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903100813/http://www.ignc.net.ly/the-thirty-fifth-report/ , archive-date=3 September 2014 , df=dmy-all Islamists were defeated, but rejected the results of the election, which saw only an 18% turnout. They accused the newOpposing forces
Pro-GNC
The pro-GNC forces were a coalition of different militias with different ideologies although most of them are Islamist influenced especially in eastern Libya in Benghazi and Derna. Since LPA negotiations started in Skhirat there has been a rift within the militias over support for the UN-sponsored talks and the proposed Government of National Accord, which seeks to unite the rival governments.{{cite news, title=Guide to key Libyan militias, work=BBC News, date=11 January 2016, url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-19744533 Since GNA started working from Tripoli in March 2015, Libya Dawn coalition the largest of Pro-GNC militias has been disbanded and most of its forces changed allegiances to GNA.Libya Dawn
The Islamist " Libya Dawn" has been described as "an uneasy coalition" identified as "terrorists" by the elected parliament inLibya Shield
The Libya Shield Force supports the Islamists. Its forces are divided geographically, into the Western Shield, Central Shield and Eastern Shield. Elements of the Libya Shield Force were identified by some observers as linked to Al-Qaeda as early as 2012. The term "Libya Shield 1" is used to refer to the Islamist part of the Libya Shield Force in the east of Libya. In western Libya, the prominent Islamist forces are the Central Shield (of the Libya Shield Force), which consists especially of Misrata units and theRevolutionary Shura Councils
In Benghazi, the Islamist armed groups have organized themselves into theBenghazi Defense Brigades
Benghazi Defense Brigades was formed in June 2016 to defend Benghazi and the Shura Council from theAmazigh militias
Even though theOperation Dignity
The anti-Islamist Operation Dignity forces are built around Haftar's faction of the Libyan National Army, including land, sea and air forces along with supporting local militias.LNA
TheSalafist militias
Zintan brigades
Since the Battle of Tripoli Airport, armed groups associated with Zintan and the surroundingWershefana militias
Wershefana tribal and mainly Gaddafi loyalists armed groups, from the area immediately south and west of Tripoli, have active among in Haftar forces west of Libya. On 5 August 2014, Warshefana forces captured Camp 27, a training base west of Tripoli. Wershefana armed groups have also been involved in a long-standing{{Peacock inline, 2018, 09, date=September 2018 tribal conflict with the neighbouring Zawia city since 2011. Zawia has allied with Libya Dawn since August 2014, although its commitment to Libya Dawn is reportedly wavering. After being accused of kidnapping, ransoming and other crimes, a GNA joint force made up mostly from Zintan brigades seized the Wershefana district.,Kaniyat militia
Since the 2011 Libyan uprising against Muammar Gaddafi, the Kaniyat militiamen dominated and brutalized the civilians in Tarhuna to deepen their control over the strategic city. Formed by the Kani brothers, the militia committed atrocities that became known in 2017. The militia allied with theEthnic tensions
In 2014, a formerEffects
As of February 2015, damage and disorder from the war has been considerable. There are frequent electric outages, little business activity, and a loss in revenues from oil by 90%. Over 5,700 people died from the fighting by the end of 2016,{{cite web, publisher=Libya Body Count , url=http://www.libyabodycount.org/, title=Libya Body Count, date=December 2016, access-date=29 April 2021 and some sources claim nearly a third of the country's population has fled toTimeline
{{Main Article, Timeline of the Second Libyan Civil WarPeace process
{{Main, Libyan peace process, Libyan Political Dialogue Forum During the first half of 2015, the United Nations facilitated a series of negotiations seeking to bring together the rival governments and warring militias of Libya.{{cite web, url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/06/09/Libyan-rivals-mull-peace-proposal-for-unity.html, title=Libya's parliament rejects U.N. peace proposal, date=9 June 2015, publisher=Al Arabiya, access-date=21 October 2017 A meeting between the rival governments was held atReactions
Domestic reactions
Foreign reactions, involvement, and evacuations
Neighboring countries
* {{flag, Algeria – Early in May 2014, the Algerian military said it was engaged in an operation aimed at tracking down militants who infiltrated the country's territory inOthers
* {{flag, United Nations – On 27 August 2014, theSee also
* European migrant crisis * American intervention in Libya (2015–2019) * Turkish military intervention in the Second Libyan Civil War * 2022 Tripoli clashesReferences
{{Reflist, refs= {{cite web, title =Statement by the Special Representative of the Secretary General in Libya, Ghassan Salamé, on the National Conference, publisher = United Nations Support Mission in Libya , date = 2019-04-09, url = https://unsmil.unmissions.org/statement-special-representative-secretary-general-libya-ghassan-salam%C3%A9-national-conference, access-date =2019-04-09 , archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200509232254/https://unsmil.unmissions.org/statement-special-representative-secretary-general-libya-ghassan-salam%C3%A9-national-conference, archive-date=2020-05-09 , url-status=live {{cite web , title = Remarks of SRSG Ghassan Salamé to the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Libya – 4 September 2019 , website= United Nations Support Mission in Libya, UNSMIL , date = 2019-09-04 , url = https://unsmil.unmissions.org/remarks-srsg-ghassan-salam%C3%A9-united-nations-security-council-situation-libya-4-september-2019 , access-date = 2019-09-09 , archive-url= http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20201223123407/http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https://unsmil.unmissions.org/remarks-srsg-ghassan-salam%C3%A9-united-nations-security-council-situation-libya-4-september-2019 , archive-date= 2020-12-23 , url-status=live {{cite web, title = UN urges Libyans to work for peace at National Conference, publisher =The Washington Post/Associated Press, date = 2019-03-26 , url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/un-urges-libyans-to-work-for-peace-at-national-conference/2019/03/26/0bb403ca-500f-11e9-bdb7-44f948cc0605_story.html, access-date =2019-04-09 , archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190409192631/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/un-urges-libyans-to-work-for-peace-at-national-conference/2019/03/26/0bb403ca-500f-11e9-bdb7-44f948cc0605_story.html, archive-date= 2019-04-09, url-status=dead {{cite news , last1= Zaptia, first1= Sami, title= UNSMIL postpones Ghadames National Conference until conditions are right , date= 2019-04-09 , publisher= Libya Herald , url= https://www.libyaherald.com/2019/04/09/unsmil-postpones-ghadames-national-conference-until-conditions-are-right/, access-date=2019-04-09 , archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190411033724/https://www.libyaherald.com/2019/04/09/unsmil-postpones-ghadames-national-conference-until-conditions-are-right/, archive-date=2019-04-11 , url-status=live {{cite web , title= UNSMIL announces that LPDF approves the proposal of selection mechanism of executive authority for the preparatory period , website= United Nations Support Mission in Libya , date = 2021-01-19 , url = https://unsmil.unmissions.org/unsmil-announces-lpdf-approves-proposal-selection-mechanism-executive-authority-preparatory-period , access-date = 2021-01-20 , archive-url= https://archive.today/20210120224934/https://unsmil.unmissions.org/unsmil-announces-lpdf-approves-proposal-selection-mechanism-executive-authority-preparatory-period , archive-date= 2021-01-20 , url-status=live {{cite web , title= The Selection Mechanism for the Unified Executive Authority Adopted by LPDF Members , website= United Nations Support Mission in Libya , date = 2021-01-19 , url = https://unsmil.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/adopted_selection_mechanism_eng_ara.pdf , access-date = 2021-01-20 , archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210120225929/https://unsmil.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/adopted_selection_mechanism_eng_ara.pdf , archive-date= 2021-01-20 , url-status=liveFurther reading
{{Wikinews category, 2014 Libyan conflict * Daveed Gartenstein-Ross