US, Qatar, Egypt, Turkiye push for Libya unity 15 years after Gaddafi fall
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The United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye are pushing to end Libya's division 15 years after the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi began. The UN-recognised government in Tripoli and the eastern Tobruk-based administration remain split over control of the country. The push follows UN mediation efforts launched in 2020 that call for unifying rival authorities, elections and national dialogue.
Key Facts
- Muammar Gaddafi was captured and killed in October 2011, 42 years after seizing power in a military coup.
- Libya is split between the UN-recognised Government of National Unity in Tripoli, led by Abdul Hamid Dheibah, and the eastern Tobruk-based administration backed by Khalifa Haftar.
- The UN began formal mediation efforts in 2020 under the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
- The UN roadmap advocates a three-track strategy: unifying the two rival administrations, presidential and parliamentary elections, and national dialogue meetings.
- Khalifa Haftar spent two decades in exile in the United States and holds US citizenship, while his Libyan National Army controls resource-rich eastern Libya including Benghazi, reportedly with Russian backing.
The 2011 Uprising
The Libyan uprising erupted during the Arab Spring, when thousands of people in the port city of Benghazi took to the streets to protest against Muammar Gaddafi's more than four decades of absolute power. Violence against the demonstrations pushed protesters into armed rebellion, starting a civil war between the two sides. A UN Security Council resolution authorised an international military intervention led by NATO members, including the United States, the United Kingdom and France, to enforce a no-fly zone and protect civilians. The bombing campaign pushed back Gaddafi's forces from Benghazi and aided the rebels in seizing territory. Gaddafi was captured and killed in October 2011, 42 years after he first seized power in a military coup that overthrew King Idris.
Rival Administrations
After Gaddafi's death, a power vacuum emerged, with multiple groups and allied militias competing for control. Libya is now split between the UN-recognised Government of National Unity in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dheibah, and the eastern Tobruk-based administration backed by Khalifa Haftar and his self-styled Libyan National Army. The GNU is recognised by the UN and other countries and holds official authority in the capital and western Libya. Haftar spent two decades in exile in the US, where he holds citizenship, and his forces control vast resource-rich lands in the east, including the strategic port city of Benghazi, reportedly with Russian backing.
UN Mediation Roadmap
The UN began formal mediation efforts in 2020 under the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). The roadmap advocates a three-track strategy that includes unifying the two rival administrations, presidential and parliamentary elections, and hosting national dialogue meetings. Several external actors, including the US, Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye, are now pushing for a return to 'One Libya' after more than a decade of fighting. The US has commercial interests in Libya's oil fields.
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US, Qatar, Egypt, Turkiye push for Libya unity 15 years after Gaddafi fall
