2012 Bani Walid insurgency

2012 Bani Walid uprising
Part of the Post-civil war violence in Libya
Date 23–25 January 2012 Location Bani Walid, Libya Result Rebel victory Brigade 93 takes control of the city May 28 Brigade withdraws from the city to Tripoli NTC local council abolished and Warfalla tribal council established, which is then recognized by the NTC as the new official city council Continuing lawlessness leads to the Siege of Bani Walid (2012) by the NTC Army and the city being reoccupied the government by November 2012.
Belligerents
National Liberation Army May 28 Brigade	Brigade 93 Warfalla tribe
Commanders and leaders
Abdullah al-Khazmi Ali al-Fotmani Abdelsalem Saed Ouhida †	Colonel Salem al-Ouaer
Strength
Unknown	100-300 Warfalla tribal fighters
Casualties and losses
5-8 killed, 25-30 wounded	None

Rebel victory

National Liberation Army

Abdullah al-Khazmi Ali al-Fotmani

The 2012 Bani Walid uprising was an event which started on 23 January 2012 due to an incident in the city of Bani Walid in which the "May 28 Brigade" militia wished to arrest local men in unclear circumstances. The May 28 Brigade and their compound were then attacked by local fighters who then took control of the town. The incident, the combatants, and the motives of the two main belligerents — the May 28 Brigade and Brigade 93 — remain uncertain and contentious. The conflict was originally reported to be an attack by Gaddafi loyalists by local NTC officials. However, tribal leaders and residents have denied any affiliation with Gaddafi's remnants, stating their goal was the establishment of their own council in the city. Similarly Britain's Foreign Office has dismissed claims of this incident representing a pro-Gaddafi attack against the NTC, stating that this was a dispute between tribal leaders and the NTC.

The Libyan government subsequently engaged in negotiations to re-establish normal relations with Bani Walid while maintaining a siege on the town, including a presidential visit to the town. Walid Ben Shaaban, a Libyan militia leader has stated "we will take revenge militarily but legitimately", referring to the security issues emanating from Bani Walid. In October, more troops were sent to Bani Walid, with an aim of re-establishing control of the city by military means. Intense shelling of the town started on 18 October.

Bani Walid was one of the last cities to fall into the hands of the rebel army who overthrew Muammar Gaddafi. As a former Gaddafi loyalist stronghold, an insurgency against new rulers developed in the city. After months of tensions in the city, a group of anti-NTC fighters attacked the main NTC base in Bani Walid.

After distributing pro-Gaddafi papers the previous day, a group of 100-150 soldiers carrying the green flag of the Gaddafi government attacked the main NTC base of the city, killing four NTC soldiers; wounding 20 others and trapping the others in their base, according to Mahmud Warfelli, the spokesman of the NTC's council for Bani Walid, who called for help and feared a massacre as the NTC compound was besieged from all sides by the pro-Gaddafi fighters.

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Wikipedia