GetWiki

{{Short description|2011 final battle of the First Libyan Civil War}}{{Other uses|Battle of Sirte (disambiguation){{!}}Battle of Sirte}}{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

factoids

)| place = Sirte, Libya| result = Decisive anti-Gaddafi victory

• Pro-Gaddafi forces repel three rebel attacks on the city in SeptemberNEWS,weblink Gaddafi hometown a hazardous prize for Libya's NTC, Alexander, Dziadosz, Sirte, 28 September 2011, 29 January 2012, Reuters, 26 November 2014,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141126032803weblink">weblink live, Gadhafi diehards force Sirte retreat by NTC fighters
• Anti-Gaddafi forces capture all of Sirte after a fourth attack
• End of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya regime
• Muammar Gaddafi, Mutassim Gaddafi, and Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr killed
• End of First Libyan Civil War

LibyaNational Transitional Council>Libya'''

• National Liberation Army

{{flagicon|NATO}} NATO commandNEWS,weblink Nato takes control of enforcing Libya no-fly zone, 26 March 2011, 25 March 2011, Dawn, {{flagicon>Libya|1977}} Remnants of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

• Libyan Army
• Paramilitary forces
• Gaddafi loyalists| units1 = Unknown

People's Guard (Libya)>People's GuardHTTP://WWW.STARTRIBUNE.COM/WORLD/132383263.HTML >TITLE=IN HIS LAST DAYS, GADHAFI SURVIVED ON PASTA AND DELUSIONS DATE=22 OCTOBER 2011 ACCESS-DATE=23 OCTOBER 2011, LibyaHamid Hassy{{flagicon>LibyaMustafa Bin Dardef{{KIA}}HTTP://WWW.TIMESOFMALTA.COM/ARTICLES/VIEW/20110906/WORLD/LIBYAN-TROOPS-ADVANCE-ON-SIRTE-IN-HEAVY-FIGHTING.383601 WORK=TIMES OF MALTA ACCESS-DATE=21 OCTOBER 2011, HTTP://ENGLISH.AHRAM.ORG.EG/NEWSCONTENT/2/8/24501/WORLD/REGION/STREET-FIGHTING-ROCKS-SIRTE-AS-CLINTON-VISITS-TRIP.ASPX>WORK=AHRAM ONLINEDATE=18 OCTOBER 2011LibyaTouhami ZayaniHTTP://BLOGS.ALJAZEERA.NET/LIVEBLOG/LIBYA-SEP-27-2011-1615WORK=AL JAZEERA BLOGSLibyaEssam Baghhar{{flagicon>LibyaYunus al-AbdaliHTTPS://WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM/WORLD/2011/OCT/20/SIRTE-FALLS-LIBYADATE=20 OCTOBER 2011ACCESS-DATE=13 JANUARY 2013, LibyaMuammar Gaddafi{{WIA}}{{KIA>Death of Muammar Gaddafi}}{{flagicon1977}} Mutassim Gaddafi{{WIA}}{{KIA}}HTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/2011/WORLD/AFRICA/09/16/LIBYA.WAR/INDEX.HTML?HPT=WO_C1>TITLE=AFTER A DAY OF INTENSE FIGHTING, ANTI-GADHAFI FORCES PULL BACKCNN >ACCESS-DATE=21 NOVEMBER 2014, {{flagicon|Libya|1977}} Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr{{KIA}}NEWS,weblink Gaddafi's Ex-Defense Minister Killed – Report, Sofia News Agency, 20 October 2011, 21 October 2011, {{flagicon|Libya|1977}} Mansour Dhao{{POW}}NEWS,weblink The New York Times, Kareem, Fahim, In His Last Days, Qaddafi Wearied of Fugitive's Life, 22 October 2011, 23 October 2011, {{flagicon|Libya|1977}} Abdel Rahman Abdel Hamid{{pow}}NEWS,weblink Gaddafi nephew arrested in Sirte, Times LIVE, 9 October 2011, 21 October 2011, {{flagicon|Libya|1977}} Sayyid Gaddaf al-Dam{{POW}}NEWS,weblink Gaddafi's cousin acquitted, Libya Observer, WORK=THE INDEPENDENTACCESS-DATE=21 NOVEMBER 2014, 163HTTPS://WWW.INDEPENDENT.CO.UK/NEWS/WORLD/AFRICA/GADDAFIS-WIFE-AND-CHILDREN-FLEE-TO-ALGERIA-2345851.HTML>TITLE=GADDAFI'S WIFE AND CHILDREN FLEE TO ALGERIADATE=29 AUGUST 2011 ACCESS-DATE=15 SEPTEMBER 2011LOCATION=LONDONFIRST=RICHARDTechnical (vehicle)>technicals| strength2 = 1,000–5,000weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120404041719weblink">McCain arrives in Libya as rival forces battle for control fighters (NTC claim)weblink{{dead link>date=July 2017 fix-attempted=yes }} 13 killed (16 September),weblink{{dead linkbot=InternetArchiveBot weblink 2 killed (18 September),weblink 4 killed (20 September),weblink 70 killed (21 September – 6 October),weblink 120 killed (7–15 October),weblink 14 killed (18 October),weblink 7 killed (19 October),weblink total of 265 reported killed2,030 wounded461 wounded (15–28 September; western front)weblink {{Webarchive>url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141126032803weblink weblink 100 wounded (27–28 September; eastern front),weblink {{Webarchive>url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120528211824weblink weblink 11 wounded (30 September),HTTP://WWW.THEJAKARTAGLOBE.COM/AFP/SNIPERS-HALT-NTC-FIGHT-FOR-KADHAFI-HOMETOWN/468894 ACCESS-DATE=18 JANUARY 2013 ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20130118214527/HTTP://WWW.THEJAKARTAGLOBE.COM/AFP/SNIPERS-HALT-NTC-FIGHT-FOR-KADHAFI-HOMETOWN/468894, 18 January 2013, 133 wounded (1–6 October),weblink 1,100 wounded (7–15 October),weblink 95 wounded (18 October), weblink 76 wounded (19 October),weblink total of 2,030 reported woundedWEBSITE=CBS NEWS ACCESS-DATE=21 NOVEMBER 2014, weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111028205828weblink">Report: More than 250 Gaddafi supporters found dead in SirteHTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/HOSTEDNEWS/AFP/ARTICLE/ALEQM5HJ2TXF4NNO3TJGWXAWNLJSS5V2DW?DOCID=CNG.D10E26881FEDF6C3427AFC06A3404E33.521>TITLE=LIBYANS FIND MORE BODIES IN KADHAFI HOMETOWNLAST=BASTIANDATE=29 OCTOBER 2011WORK=GOOGLE NEWSACCESS-DATE=21 NOVEMBER 2014ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20111204160802/HTTP://WWW.ICRC.ORG/ENG/RESOURCES/DOCUMENTS/NEWS-RELEASE/2011/LYBIA-NEWS-2011-01-10.HTMACCESS-DATE=21 NOVEMBER 2014ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20120401215353/HTTP://WWW.EWN.CO.ZA/STORY.ASPX?ID=75142ACCESS-DATE=5 OCTOBER 2011 ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20110925022258/HTTP://WWW.NEWSDAILY.COM/STORIES/TRE7810I8-US-LIBYA/ weblink 24 captured (11 October),weblink 15 captured (13 October),HTTP://WWW.GEO.TV/10-13-2011/87573.HTM ACCESS-DATE=13 OCTOBER 2011 ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20111014211304/HTTP://GEO.TV/10-13-2011/87573.HTM, 14 October 2011, total of 150+ reported capturedWORK=TELEGRAPH ACCESS-DATE=21 OCTOBER 2011 FIRST=ROB DATE=17 SEPTEMBER 2011ACCESS-DATE=21 NOVEMBER 2014, HTTP://WWW.RTE.IE/NEWS/2011/0922/LIBYA.HTML>TITLE=GADDAFI AIDE CLAIMS NATO STRIKES KILLED 151WORK=RTE.IE, 21 November 2014, | notes = }}{{Campaignbox Libyan civil war}}The Battle of Sirte was the final and most decisive battle of the First Libyan Civil War, beginning when the National Liberation Army attacked the last remnants of the Libyan army still loyal to Muammar Gaddafi in his hometown and designated capital of Sirte, on the Gulf of Sidra. As of September 2011, Sirte and Bani Walid were the last strongholds of Gaddafi loyalists and the National Transitional Council hoped that the fall of Sirte would bring the war to an end.NEWS, Libya conflict: Pro-Gaddafi troops 'cornered' in Sirte,weblink BBC, 10 October 2011, 10 October 2011, The battle and its aftermath marked the final collapse of the four-decade Gaddafi regime.NEWS,weblink New York Daily News, Libya declares 'liberation' after Khadafy's death, transitional leader says Sharia law will rule, 23 October 2011, 24 October 2011, Both Gaddafi and his son, Mutassim, were wounded and captured, then tortured and killed in custody less than an hour later. The month-long battle left Sirte almost completely in ruins, with many buildings damaged or totally destroyed.NEWS,weblink Gadhafi's hometown seems largely destroyed, The News Tribune, 16 October 2011, 22 October 2011, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111224002556weblink">weblink 24 December 2011,

Background

In August 2011, anti-Gaddafi forces began a three-pronged advance toward Sirte which lasted several weeks. Pushing forward from Misrata in the west, Brega in the east, and desert positions in the south, they met fierce resistance and suffered heavy casualties in their efforts to reach the city.

Battle

First opposition attack repelled

15–18 September

On 15 September, a spokesman for the National Transitional Council claimed that after being bogged down about 50 km from Sirte for the past several days, opposition fighters had made a major push and reached the western outskirts of Sirte.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141129104853weblink">weblink dead, 29 November 2014, Reuters, Reuters Africa, 15 September 2011, 15 September 2011, Libya interim govt says on outskirts of Sirte, Tripoli, NTC forces reached the Gharbiyat Bridge on the southwestern edge of the city, and were encountering resistance from Gaddafi loyalists.NEWS,weblink 15 September 2011, 15 September 2011, Libya rebels enter gates of Sirte, London, The Daily Telegraph, Richard, Spencer, That evening, an NTC military spokesman told Reuters that NTC forces had entered the city itself and that heavy fighting had erupted.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120927220035weblink">weblink dead, 27 September 2012, Reuters, Reuters Africa, 15 September 2011, 15 September 2011, Libyan NTC forces storm Gaddafi's home town, Tripoli, A few hours later, the Misrata military council announced that their fighters had taken control of the city center and the exit road, and were cleaning out pockets of resistance, particularly along the beachfront, where remnants of the Khamis Brigade were believed to be holding out.WEB,weblink Gaddafi's birthplace 'captured by rebels' in battle for last Libya coast stronghold, Chris Stephen, the Guardian, 15 September 2011, 21 November 2014, A short time later, however, a spokesman for the opposition forces stated that they were 8–10 kilometers from the city center, having withdrawn to treat casualties.NEWS,weblink 15 September 2011, 15 September 2011, Libya conflict: Anti-Gaddafi NTC forces enter Sirte, BBC News, On 16 September, Al Jazeera claimed that Sirte's airport, 10 kilometers south of the city, was under NTC control.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120927220040weblink">weblink dead, 27 September 2012, Tunis, Reuters, Reuters Africa, 15 September 2011, 15 September 2011, Libyan NTC fighters seize Sirte airport – TV, It was also confirmed that opposition forces had been compelled to retreat from the city itself the previous night, after entering it briefly, due to heavy resistance. On 16 September NTC forces launched a larger offensive into the city, and heavy fighting ensued on Sirte's main boulevard, 1 September St.NEWS,weblink ABC, 15 September 2011, 15 September 2011, Libyan Fighters Press Into Gadhafi Strongholds, According to a man claiming to be a spokesman for opposition fighters from inside Sirte, local opposition forces already controlled much of the city, and had been under siege by pro-Gaddafi forces for several months. The man's identity and his claims could not be independently confirmed.WEB,weblink Fri, 16 Sep 2011, 11:14 GMT+3 – Libya, Al Jazeera Blogs, 21 November 2014, By the evening of the 16th, opposition forces again pulled back from the city after a day of fierce, chaotic street fighting, seemingly contradicting the earlier report by the claimed opposition spokesman from Sirte. The support the opposition had expected from Sirte's residents had not materialized, and loyalist forces had put up stronger resistance than anticipated.On 17 September anti-Gaddafi fighters renewed their offensive. Sirte's interim representative in the NTC said he had information that "there is no full control over Sirte" by either side, with parts of the city remaining under loyalist control and other parts of the city being taken by opposition fighters. At least three anti-Gaddafi fighters were killed in the fighting, and many wounded were evacuated to a field hospital set up at a gas station on the outskirts of Sirte.NEWS,weblink The Huffington Post, 17 September 2011, 17 September 2011, Libya: Rebels Advance In Sirte, Pull Back From Bani Walid, Sirte, Ryan, Lucas, Hadeel, Al-Shalchi, Associated Press, On the eastern front, Al Jazeera reported anti-Gaddafi forces were still struggling to advance. A correspondent in Ras Lanuf said many villages that anti-Gaddafi fighters had entered were found to be deserted, suggesting that their inhabitants had been persuaded to flee by pro-Gaddafi elements.NEWS,weblink Al Jazeera, 17 September 2011, 17 September 2011, Sat, 17 Sep 2011, 11:18 GMT+3 – Libya, Later, opposition forces stated that they had captured the city's airport, which they had already claimed to have done one day earlier.NEWS,weblink Libya conflict: Rebels claim advances in Sirte battle, BBC News, 18 September 2011, 21 November 2014, An opposition fighter, who was returning from the frontline, stated that NTC forces did not control even 5% of the city, and contradicted his officers' claims of the airport takeover by saying that the NTC forces were only able to enter enemy territory by day and had to pull back at night.WEB,weblink Libyan NTC troops hit tough Sirte resistance, Business Day Live, 21 November 2014, Later, it was confirmed that the airport was still in loyalist hands.Gaddafi hiding near Algeria: NTCOn 18 September opposition forces made another incursion into Sirte, but by dusk, had once again retreated to the city's outskirts.NEWS, Golovnia, Maria, Emma, Farge, Libyans fail to agree new government,weblink 29 January 2012, 18 September 2011, Reuters, Benghazi and Bani Walid, 26 November 2014,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141126031656weblink">weblink live,

Eastern rebel forces approach

19–23 September

On 22 September, opposition forces advancing from the east, including units from Benghazi, Bayda, and Derna,Gaddafi's last stronghold, the city of Sirte, becomes Libya's final battle guardian, Retrieved 6 October 2011. halted their advance on Sirte for a week due to a shortage of ammunition. Meanwhile, commanders on the front line west of the town said they had been told to expect further NATO air strikes on Thursday and had orders not to advance.NEWS,weblink Libya delays assault on Sirte, 22 September 2011, 29 January 2012, Sydney Morning Herald, Agence France-Presse, On the evening of 23 September, NTC fighters managed to reach the city's eastern gate with virtually no resistance from pro-Gaddafi forces.NEWS, Libyan fighters ready for final Sirte assault,weblink 24 September 2011, Al Jazeera, 24 September 2011,

Second opposition attack repelled

24–25 September

On 24 September, after a week of preparations, NTC forces swarmed into the city from the west, taking control of Zafran Square, about one mile from the city center.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110926200727weblink">weblink dead, 26 September 2011, WRAPUP 1-Libyans fight for control of Gaddafi stronghold Sirte, Reuters Africa, Reuters, 24 September 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, Alexander, Dziadosz, WEB,weblink Al Jazeera Live Blog, Al Jazeera Blogs, 21 November 2014, Opposition troops advanced to a major TV broadcasting station in the city's western part, and encountered heavy resistance from loyalist troops on the main boulevard, toward the city center. An NTC military spokesman claimed that they expected to capture two western neighborhoods by evening.NEWS,weblink Libyan Forces Fight for Qaddafi's Hometown Sirte, 24 September 2011, 29 January 2012, Fox News, Associated Press, NEWS,weblink Libyan troops 'clash with pro-Gaddafi forces' in Sirte, BBC News, 24 September 2011, 21 November 2014, A BBC News correspondent reported that anti-Gaddafi fighters had made a particularly swift advance from the east as well, pushing deep into Sirte, and judged the battle to be tipping in favour of the interim government's forces.NEWS,weblink BBC News, Libya's NTC troops enter pro-Gaddafi city of Sirte, 24 September 2011, 25 September 2011, On 25 September, after continued strong resistance from loyalist forces, the NTC fighters retreated from the western part of Sirte, returning to the outskirts. Nine opposition fighters had been killed and 97 wounded in the previous day of fighting.WEB,weblink Libyan NTC fighters pull back from Sirte, Al Jazeera English, 21 November 2014,

Third opposition attack repelled

26–28 September

On 26 September NTC forces continued their offensive against Sirte, with NTC tanks on the western outskirts shelling the city center from a distance of two kilometers. Dr. Eman Mohammed, a civilian doctor who worked at the city's central Ibn Sina Hospital before fleeing the fighting to NTC-held territory, reported that most civilian deaths and injuries appeared to have been caused by NTC shelling,NEWS,weblink Fighters Enter Qaddafi Stronghold City as Toll Rises, Kareem, Fahim, Tripoli, New York Times, 26 September 2011, 29 January 2012, leading vengeful relatives to join the pro-Gaddafi forces as armed volunteers.NEWS, The Associated Press,weblink Civilians flee Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte, Canadian Broadcasting Company, 26 September 2011, 21 October 2011, Meanwhile, the main NTC eastern assault body fought their way to within 10 kilometers of the town,NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120928112505weblink">weblink dead, 28 September 2012, WRAPUP 2-Libyan tanks strike Sirte loyalists, Reuters Africa, Reuters, 26 September 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, Alexander, Dziadosz, Sherine, El Madany, and then entered the city itself a few hours later.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120928112513weblink">weblink dead, 28 September 2012, Libyan forces enter Gaddafi home town from east, Reuters Africa, Reuters, 26 September 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, On 27 September, an NTC senior military commander in Tripoli announced that their forces had managed to secure the port and were battling for control of the city center, where snipers were halting their progress.WEB,weblink Libyan anti-Gadhafi forces take over port in Sirte, the CNN Wire Staff, 27 September 2011, CNN, 21 November 2014, Opposition troops advancing from the west were still in the city's outskirts, while those advancing from the east were pinned down by snipers at a roundabout approximately 2 kilometers from the city center, at the eastern edge of the town.NEWS,weblink Snipers hold up push into Gaddafi stronghold of Sirte, Reuters India, Reuters, 27 September 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, Alexander, Dziadosz, Sherine, El Madany, Later in the day a shaken NTC fighter from the roundabout arrived at opposition lines outside the city, requesting immediate reinforcement for those left behind. The NTC forces that managed to get to the roundabout could not move due to heavy sniper activity, and were constantly hit with accurate artillery and rocket fire, sustaining heavy casualties. A larger body of reinforcements was held back by a heavy artillery barrage between them and the cut-off troops.NEWS,weblinkweblink dead, 13 December 2018, Loyalists make stand in Gaddafi's home town, Reuters Africa, Reuters, 27 September 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, Sherine, El Madany, Heavy face-to-face fighting was also raging at the Mahari hotel.WEB,weblink Anti-Gaddafi fighters pounded in fight for Sirte, 21 November 2014, On 28 September the NTC offensive continued, with the western and eastern opposition forces attempting to link up south of the city by capturing the airport, which they had already claimed to have seized on several occasions. On the eastern side, however, there were almost no advances. NTC fighters were still pinned down, for a third day, at the roundabout, and not even the arrival of five tanks managed to break the stalemate, as they quickly came under accurate loyalist rocket fire, missing them by only a few yards.WEB,weblink Libya's NTC thinks Gaddafi hiding near Algeria, Sharenet (Pty) Ltd, 21 November 2014, 28 May 2012,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120528211824weblink">weblink dead, Later in the evening, opposition forces on the eastern edge of the city were finally pushed three kilometers outside the city after a series of ferocious attacks by loyalist fighters.

NTC forces link up, cease-fire

29 September – 3 October

On the morning of 29 September NTC forces pushing from both west and east once again captured the city's airport,NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111001235721weblink">weblink dead, 1 October 2011, Libyan interim gov't forces capture Sirte airport, Reuters Africa, Reuters, Sirte, 29 September 2011, 29 January 2012, but were still facing rocket fire from the other side of the runway.NEWS,weblink Libyan forces take Sirte airport, BBC News, 30 September 2011, 21 November 2014, On 30 September there was no major activity on the frontline, except constant shelling. For a fifth straight day the NTC force at the roundabout remained pinned down, having temporarily run out of ammunition the day before.NEWS,weblink WRAPUP 1-Civilians flee Sirte battle, fighting hampers aid -UN, Reuters, 30 September 2011, 29 January 2012, Joseph, Logan, Rania, El Gamal, Sirte, 13 February 2012,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120213013706weblink">weblink live, At this time, a two-day cease-fire was declared by the NTC to give civilians a chance to flee the city, and to allow Red Cross officials to inspect a hospital close to the city center.WEB,weblink Libyan children killed as Sirte exodus grows, Zee News, 2 October 2011, 21 November 2014, On 1 October, a force of about 100 NTC vehicles entered the city from the south and encircled the Ouagadougou Conference Center. Despite the declared cease-fire, NTC shelling of the city center continued near the hospital (west of the conference center) which the humanitarian workers were visiting.On 2 October, an NTC source claimed that they had taken 95 percent of the town of Qasr Abu Hadi, just opposite of the airport south of the city,NEWS,weblink Libya conflict: New offensive on Sirte, BBC News, 3 October 2011, 21 November 2014, which was home to many pro-Gaddafi loyalists and also a small military base.WEB,weblink Al Jazeera Live Blog, Al Jazeera Blogs, 21 November 2014, It was also the birthplace of Muammar Gaddafi himself.NEWS,weblink Fighters overrun Gaddafi birthplace, Sydney Morning Herald, Agence France-Presse, 4 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Jay, Deshmukh, Another opposition source, however, stated that they were concentrating on the town and still targeting it, having learned from a captured loyalist that Mutassim Gaddafi was possibly holed up in that area. Red Cross officials who had pulled back from the hospital near the city center described a dire situation, with patients dying from the lack of medical supplies and power shortages. They and fleeing civilians also stated that civilian areas were being hit by indiscriminate fire from loyalist, opposition, and NATO forces.WEB,weblink Shortages "killing patients" in Libya siege hospital, Thomson Reuters Foundation, 21 November 2014, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111003060813weblink">weblink 3 October 2011, That evening NTC forces pulled out of the town of Gaddafi's birth, claiming they had been ordered out so that NATO could conduct air-strikes in the area.NEWS,weblink Libya conflict: Hundreds of residents flee Sirte, BBC News, 2 October 2011, 21 November 2014, Later, it was reported that at this time Mutassim Gaddafi managed to slip out of Sirte and headed south into the Libyan desert.WEB,weblink Gaddafi's son Mutassim flees hometown of Sirte -TV, Thomson Reuters Foundation, 21 November 2014, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120122065943weblink">weblink 22 January 2012, On the morning of 3 October, Reuters reported that NTC forces had taken control of Qasr Abu Hadi and were clearing out pockets of resistance.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111005233943weblink">weblink dead, 5 October 2011, Libya government forces capture district in Sirte, Reuters Africa, Reuters, 3 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, However, a NTC commander said they had taken control of 75 percent of the town.WEB,weblink Libya's NTC eyes symbolic coup in Sirte, News24, 21 November 2014, Al Jazeera disputed an advance on Qasr Abu Hadi altogether, stating opposition troops were holding positions three kilometers from the town.WEB,weblink Civilians fleeing Sirte describe desperate situation, Al Jazeera Blogs, 21 November 2014, The BBC confirmed that a new assault on Sirte had started, but noted that the offensive seemed un-coordinated, and that opposition rocket and artillery fire directed at the city appeared random, potentially endangering civilians. Later that evening, Gaddafi's hometown was declared secured by the opposition forces.

Fourth opposition attack

4–12 October

On 4 October opposition forces advanced on the conference centre in Sirte, which was being used as a base by the loyalists. Soon, heavy and accurate pro-Gaddafi fire hit the NTC column, sending it into retreat.WEB,weblink Opposition forces close in on Gaddafi stronghold, The Independent, 22 October 2011, 21 November 2014, On 5 October, NTC forces claimed to have made a push into the center of Sirte, while their commander announced that they had taken control of half of the city and were expecting it to fall within two days.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111007130729weblink">weblink dead, 7 October 2011, WRAPUP 4-Libyan government forces push into centre of Sirte, Reuters Africa, Reuters, 5 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, Rania, El Gamal, Tim, Gaynor, Both claims would soon be proven untrue. According to NTC forces, the only people left in the city were mercenaries, pro-Gaddafi die-hard fighters, and perhaps Mutassim Gaddafi, while several local citizens said there were almost no loyalist troops left in the city, and resistance was coming mostly from civilian volunteers who were afraid of being massacred by NTC forces.NEWS,weblink Sirte residents turn anger on Libya's new rulers, Reuters, 5 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, Rania, El Gamal, 10 February 2012,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120210064147weblink">weblink live, During the assault, for the first time in the war, a loyalist suicide bomber blew himself up among opposition fighters, killing and wounding several.WEB,weblink Gaddafi uses, for the first time, a suicide bomber against combatants, 21 November 2014,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141130004443weblink">weblink 30 November 2014, dead, In Abu Hadi, NTC fighters from Misrata began looting and burning houses in vengeance for the Battle of Misrata. Calls by eastern NTC troops for an end to the looting were ignored.BostonGlobe.com Libya fighters loot Gadhafi tribe, showing divide, AP, 5 October 2011 According to humanitarian workers, the NATO bombing was sometimes doing the opposite of its declared purpose of protecting civilians.Gaddafi exhorts Libyans to rise against NTC, Al Jazeera, 6 October 2011 One aid worker said there was "a lot of indiscriminate fire", and that he had spoken to residents and doctors who complained about deaths from NATO air strikes.On 6 October, the opposition push into Sirte had once again stalled, with loyalist snipers blocking their advance. The only solid gain the NTC had made in the previous 24 hours was the taking of a luxury hotel on the northeastern edge of the city.NEWS,weblink Sniper fire holds up push into Gaddafi's, Reuters, 6 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, Rania, El Gamal, Tim, Gaynor, 24 September 2015,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150924155743weblink">weblink live, During the night, loyalists advanced several hundred meters under the cover of darkness and took up positions closer to the NTC frontline. Heavy fighting raged during the day on the road leading from the hotel. NTC fighters attempted to advance along the seafront and cut off the Mauritanian Quarter, where a large number of loyalists were holed up.NEWS,weblink Libya conflict: Muammar Gaddafi urges mass protests, BBC News, 6 October 2011, 21 November 2014, Also, an NTC force was holding positions on open ground about 1.5 kilometers south of the conference center and bombarding loyalist forces, who were replying with mortar fire.NEWS,weblink Fighting rages as Kadhafi diehards bid to break Sirte siege, Google News, 29 January 2012, Agence France-Presse, Sirte, 6 October 2011, Herve, Bar, Rory, Mulholland, On the eastern side of Sirte, loyalists attacked opposition fighters at the roundabout during the day with an anti-aircraft gun. By evening, the NTC fighters at the conference center, though supported by three tanks, were driven back by loyalist missile fire.WEB,weblink Gaddafi's last stronghold, the city of Sirte, becomes Libya's final battle, Peter Beaumont, the Guardian, 6 October 2011, 21 November 2014, On 7 October NTC forces launched a coordinated attack from three sides, dubbed the "final assaut", attacking the Ouagadougou conference center, the Mauritanian Quarter, and the city's university. By early evening, 15 NTC fighters were dead and 193 wounded. Among the dead was Colonel Amin El Turki, one of the western front commanders,WEB,weblink Libya's rebels launch the final push for Sirte and their crowning victory, 7 October 2011, Telegraph.co.uk, 21 November 2014, and among the wounded was Ali Saeh, a senior commander of the Free Libya Brigade, who was shot twice by a sniper while leading his fighters through a residential area.WEB,weblink Libyan fighters assault main Gadhafi base in Sirte, 7 October 2011, 10 October 2011,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111010015432weblink">weblink dead, WEB,weblink U.S. official: Anti-Gadhafi commanders predict Sirte will fall soon, the CNN Wire Staff, 7 October 2011, CNN, 21 November 2014, Most of the casualties occurred when opposition forces attempted to advance across an open field toward Ouagadougou, and were repelled under heavy fire.WEB,weblink Libya: suicide tank driver leads the charge for Gaddafi's Sirte, 8 October 2011, Telegraph.co.uk, 21 November 2014, By this time, reports put opposition units 1–2 kilometers from the city center, but still unable to overcome the large loyalist hold-outs,NEWS,weblink Libya NTC forces take most of Gaddafi stronghold Sirte, BBC News, 7 October 2011, 21 November 2014, such as the conference center, where they managed to get to the center's perimeter wall but could not advance further.WEB,weblink AJE Live Blog, Al Jazeera Blogs, 21 November 2014, At the end of the day, a BBC correspondent on the ground claimed that NTC forces had taken control of most of Sirte, an NTC military commander claimed they controlled over three quarters of the city, and an unnamed US government source stated 80 percent.WEB,weblink Libya: Fighters Assault Sirte, The Huffington Post, 21 November 2014, However, heavy fighting at the conference hall, the city center, the university building, Gaddafi's palace, and the Mauritanian Quarter continued well into the night. By the next morning, it was clear that claims of opposition success the previous day were premature, and that loyalists were still in control of most of the city.WEB,weblink Libyan fighters make limited gains in Sirte, Al Jazeera English, 21 November 2014, On 8 October, fighting at the Ouagadougou conference center continued. NTC fighters with 100 vehicles pushed into the southern part of the city, only to retreat after encountering heavy resistance.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111009220141weblink">weblink dead, 9 October 2011, WRAPUP 3-Snipers in last-ditch bid to defend Gaddafi hometown, Reuters Africa, Reuters, 8 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, Rania, El Gamal, Tim, Gaynor, Meanwhile, eastern front troops were fighting in the Giza (Mauritanian) district, and western units were advancing towards Green square in the heart of Sirte.NEWS,weblink Libyan fighters shell Sirte ahead of fresh assault, AFP, The Hindu, 8 October 2011, 21 November 2014, The previous night, under the cover of darkness and a sandstorm, loyalists had regained some ground on the northeastern edge of the city, forcing NTC fighters to pull back. Some 500 meters of no-man's land divided the loyalists and the opposition fighters who were stationed at the hotel. Snipers used trenches between buildings to change their positions, making it almost impossible for NTC spotters to determine their exact locations.WEB,weblink Snipers slow government attack on Gaddafi hometown, 21 November 2014, Later in the day NTC forces took control of the Sabamaiyah residential area (or Seven Hundred complex), three kilometers inside the city, which was home to many pro-Gaddafi officers and commanders in the Army.WEB,weblink AJE Live Blog, Al Jazeera Blogs, 21 November 2014, WEB,weblink Libya: ferocious fighting as rebels head for centre of Sirte, 8 October 2011, Telegraph.co.uk, 21 November 2014, Western troops had also taken control of the strategic dual-lane avenue leading from the city center to the south,Libya's New Regime Fighters Seize Sirte Road {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102221907weblink |date=2 November 2011 }} effectively cutting off the Ouagadougou complex from the rest of the city.Davies, Wyre (9 October 2011) Libya conflict: Gaddafi town Sirte 'close to falling' BBC News Africa, Retrieved 9 October 2011 An NTC commander on the ground claimed that pro-Gaddafi troops had been driven away from Ibn Sina hospital,Libyans face heavy resistance in Gadhafi hometown which was later found to be untrue.WEB,weblink Libya fighters in 'final stages' to take Gadhafi hometown, they say, the CNN Wire Staff, 9 October 2011, CNN, 21 November 2014, Fighting continued at Gaddafi's palace and the university. An NTC tank, driven by a lone operator, suicidally charged across an open field toward the university area in an attempt to breach the reinforced walls around it, which were still standing after 36 hours of constant rocket barrages. It is not known what happened to the tank and the driver after it disappeared into the smoke of the front lines. In the words of a BBC journalist, "Pro-Gaddafi forces are putting up extraordinary resistance in defence of what seems a lost cause". The loyalists were reported to still have several tanks, heavy artillery pieces, and rocket launchers.NEWS,weblink New bombardment hits Gaddafi stronghold of Sirte, BBC News, 8 October 2011, 21 November 2014, During the previous two days of combat the NTC had lost 32 fighters,Libyans claim gains in Gadhafi hometown offensive{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and a further 326 had been wounded.WEB,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111009235441weblink">weblink dead, 9 October 2011, 17 NTC fighters killed, 227 injured in battles for Gaddafi's hometown, 21 November 2014, WEB,weblink Libya forces tighten grip on Kadhafi hometown, Post Publishing PCL., 21 November 2014, Overall, the NTC offensive had been a costly and very limited success, with only the Sabamiyah neighborhood (also known as the Seven Hundred complex) captured on the second day.On the night of 8–9 October the opposition was able to secure Sirte university; however, they lost 10 fighters and had more than 100 injured. The opposition had still not captured the Ibn Sina hospital because, per a NTC commander, they wanted to prevent civilian casualties which would result from fighting in its proximity. During the morning, after spending the night on the campus grounds, the NTC fighters came under random strikes, sustaining several casualties. Due to the firing they had trouble evacuating the dead and wounded from the university.WEB,weblink Libyan forces seize Sirte landmarks as battle for city nears end, the Guardian, 21 November 2014, Later that day NTC forces once again entered Ouagadougou center, and finally took control of it.NEWS,weblink Libyan fighters make Sirte gains after bitter fighting, BBC News, 9 October 2011, 21 November 2014, In the late afternoon NTC forces were able to secure Ibn Sina hospital, and started with the evacuation of the wounded and sick.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111011153524weblink">weblink dead, 11 October 2011, Libya govt forces seize main hospital in Sirte, Reuters Africa, Reuters, 9 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, At one point, NTC forces attempted to advance into the western residential districts but a loyalist mortar barrage hit the opposition column, inflicting heavy losses on them with dozens of dead and wounded arriving at a field hospital and sending the opposition fighters into a frantic retreat.NEWS,weblink WRAPUP 1-Libya govt forces attack Gaddafi security HQ in Sirte, Reuters, 9 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Rania, El Gamal, Sirte, 13 December 2011,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111213203511weblink">weblink live, At least 10 NTC technicals were destroyed.WEB,weblink Libyan fighters corner Gaddafi loyalists, Independent Newspapers Online, Independent Online, 21 November 2014, Also, NTC troops had been battling east of Green Square and announced that they had taken control over Al Giza district.WEB,weblink Anti-Gadhafi Fighters Make Gains in Sirte, ABC News, ABC News, 21 November 2014, WEB,weblink AJE Live Blog, Al Jazeera Blogs, 21 November 2014, By the end of 9 October, Gaddafi's palace, the western residential areas and the city center were the last loyalist-held parts of the city.WEB,weblink Anti-Gadhafi Fighters Make Gains in Sirte, Associated Press, 10 October 2011, WSJ, 21 November 2014, During the night, loyalists launched a strong counter-attack in the east of the city, leaving 17 opposition fighters dead and 87 wounded. Counter-attacking loyalists also hit anti-Gaddafi forces at Ibn Sina, forcing them to retreat from positions around the hospital.WEB, Fighters Enter City Once Home to Qaddafi (Published 2011), The New York Times,weblink 23 May 2023, live,weblink At the same time, the NTC fighters near the city center were attacking the Gaddafi security headquarters, pounding the building with anti-aircraft fire and rockets. The opposition stated that they had captured a nephew of Muammar Gaddafi's, Abdel Rahman Abdel Hamid, during the day. He had been a commander of one of the loyalist brigades in Sirte.Report: Gaddafi nephew arrested in Sirte {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011125256weblink |date=11 October 2011 }} The NTC had claimed that he had been executed by other loyalists two weeks previously.weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20191231004006weblink">Confirmed news that Gaddafi's nephew, AbdelRahman AbdelHamid, was killed in #Sirte recently by G men from Gadadfa tribe. #Libya #Feb17On 10 October, fighting was still raging near the hospital.NEWS,weblink Libya: Fighting rages near Sirte hospital, BBC News, 21 November 2014, Opposition fighters attempted to advance from the conference center, but were pinned down about 400 yards from the residential areas they were trying to enter. Back-and-forth fighting also occurred at the television and radio station. NTC forces managed to capture it from the loyalists, but pro-Gaddafi forces soon retook the station, and later repelled a new opposition assault against the building.WEB,weblink Libya: rebel fighters push on as final battle for Sirte looms, 10 October 2011, Telegraph.co.uk, 21 November 2014, On 11 October, an advance force of 30 opposition fighters captured the police headquarters near the city center, having found the building empty while scouting enemy positions. Soon after, a new round of fighting erupted in the southwestern part of the city.Anti-Kadhafi fighters seize Sirte police HQ {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013072512weblink |date=13 October 2011 }} Later, NTC forces punched through the central line of defence in Sirte. Facing little resistance and losing no men in the assault, they pushed pro-Gaddafi forces into two neighborhoods (Al Shabiyah and Al Dollar). Also on the 11th, the southern, western and eastern fronts linked up a few hundred meters from the city center.WEB,weblink Al Jazeera Tony Britles from Sirte, Al Jazeera Blogs, 21 November 2014, Libya fighters seize Sirte police HQOn 12 October, NTC forces pushed even further, reducing loyalist-held territory to the Al Dollar neighborhood and districts 1 and 2.Fighters move in for kill in Kadhafi town{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Fighting continued in the city center and at the TV station.NEWS,weblink Libya conflict: Gaddafi forces 'cornered' in Sirte, BBC News, 12 October 2011, 21 November 2014, Hundreds of civilians, mostly women and children, were streaming out of the contested areas during lulls in the fighting, leaving behind a city in ruins.WEB,weblink The Guardian Live Blog, Haroon Siddique, the Guardian, 12 October 2011, 21 November 2014, Fall Of Gaddafi's Home Town 'Hours Away' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016044101weblink |date=16 October 2011 }} The loyalists flooded large parts of the streets of District 2 by bursting sewage pipes. This slowed opposition fighters, who were at times advancing in thigh-deep water.WEB,weblink Libyan city of Sirte on the brink of falling, Peter Beaumont, the Guardian, 13 October 2011, 21 November 2014, One NTC tank maneuvered into a small side street flooded with sewage from one of the burst pipes. It fired several rounds toward a large building where suspected loyalists were holed up. Infantry then moved down the street firing their weapons. They initially received little return fire, but as they moved closer to the building they were ambushed and forced to pull back under a hail of RPG and small-arms fire.NEWS,weblink Libya fighters capture Gaddafi son in Sirte – NTC, Reuters UK, Reuters, 12 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Tripoli and Sirte, Ahmed, Seif, Tim, Gaynor, In another part of the city, opposition troops advanced on a neighborhood of pock-marked villas, backed up by heavy weapons fire.NTC within sight of victory in Kadhafi town An AFP correspondent reported on fighting at a school which held a number of loyalist fighters. The reporter stated that he saw at least six dead opposition fighters and dozens of wounded after they tried to storm the school. After that, the NTC fighters pulled back and started bombarding the building with mortar fire.NEWS,weblink Kadhafi loyalists hit back in Sirte, Google News, Agence France-Presse, 12 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Sirte, Jay, Deshmukh, By this time, NTC forces had control of 80 percent of the city. While clearing the area, NTC fighters found the bodies of 42 people, allegedly executed by retreating loyalists, at three or four sites. The bound, bullet-sprayed victims were initially described by the NTC as captured opposition fighters, then later as civilians who had refused to fight in the defence of the city.WEB,weblink Gaddafi loyalists hold out in last desperate resistance at Sirte, as families flee, Peter Beaumont, the Guardian, 15 October 2011, 21 November 2014, In the evening, NTC commanders at the front claimed that Mutassim Gaddafi had been captured while attempting to flee the city in a family car, and had been sent to Benghazi. Some officials in Tripoli also repeated the claim.WEB,weblink Libya: Col Gaddafi's son Mutassim 'captured trying to flee Sirte', 12 October 2011, Telegraph.co.uk, 21 November 2014, WEB,weblink Moutism Gaddafi arrested in Sirte?, GlobalPost, 21 November 2014, WEB,weblink Survivor mourns dead piled up on Gaddafi son's doorstep, 21 November 2014, Later on, however, a spokesman for the NTC in Benghazi said they had no confirmation that Mutassim had been captured, even after contacting opposition commanders at Sirte.

Loyalists surrounded, resist

13–19 October

On 13 October loyalist forces counter-attacked, pushing NTC troops two kilometers back to the police headquarters they had captured two days before. As dusk fell, the opposition launched a new two-pronged assault in an attempt to re-take the territory they had lost.WEB,weblink Fall of Sirte 'very close' and will end Libyan conflict, Liam Fox declares, 13 October 2011, Telegraph.co.uk, 21 November 2014, By midnight, loyalist fighters were confined to the Al Dollar/district 2 area. Estimates on the number of remaining loyalist fighters ranged from 500 to 2,000.WEB,weblink AJE Live Blog, Al Jazeera Blogs, 21 November 2014, On 14 October NTC forces advanced, once again, from the police headquarters into the Al Dollar neighbourhood and district 2, attempting to re-take the territory they lost the day before. A 100-strong force advanced two kilometers and captured a school on the edge of Al Dollar. From there, using Grad rockets and artillery pieces, they began heavy bombardment of loyalist positions which their scouting teams had previously identified. The loyalists responded with heavy fire, and by the evening the NTC fighters had pulled back to their positions at the police station.WEB,weblink NTC pounds Kadhafi fighters in Sirte, clashes in Tripoli, Vanguard News, 14 October 2011, 21 November 2014, An Al Jazeeracorrespondent confirmed that the battle lines remained where they had been 24 hours previously.WEB,weblink Gaddafi 'being tracked by satellite', Al Jazeera English, 21 November 2014, On 15 October, loyalists once again pushed opposition troops back from the edge of their two hold-outs, in the direction of the police station. The NTC forces stated that they would not launch any more direct attacks on the neighbourhoods because of the high possibility that they would suffer heavy casualties. Instead, they decided they would bombard that part of the city with rockets and artillery until the loyalist forces surrendered.NEWS,weblink Gaddafi loyalists mount fierce fightback, Sydney Morning Herald, Agence France-Presse, 16 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Jay, Deshmukh, Daphne, Benoit, Meanwhile, opposition fighters found another 11 dumped bodies of people who, according to them, had been executed by the loyalists.WEB,weblink More Bodies Found in Sirte, 21 November 2014,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141129040245weblink">weblink 29 November 2014, dead, On 16 October, the opposition continued with their bombardment of the remaining loyalist-held parts of Sirte.NEWS,weblink Libya conflict: NTC forces claim Bani Walid advance, BBC News, 17 October 2011, 21 November 2014, Reuters reported widespread looting by the NTC fighters, most of them from Misrata,WEB,weblink Libya: Anti-Gaddafi Fighters Loot, Burn Homes In Sirte, The Huffington Post, 21 November 2014, with truckloads of stolen goods being driven away and homes being vandalized, angering residents both supporting Gaddafi and those neutral in the uprising.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111017123505weblink">weblink dead, 17 October 2011, In Gaddafi's hometown, residents accuse NTC fighters of revenge, Reuters Africa, Reuters, 16 October 2011, 21 October 2011, Rania, El Gamal, Sirte, On 18 October, after two days of shelling, NTC fighters launched another offensive from the east, with approximately 1,000 troops surging into the remaining two neighbourhoods under loyalist control, Al Dollar and district 2. This move came a day after NTC forces took control of Bani Walid, thus making pockets in Sirte the only significant remaining area under pro-Gaddafi control in Libya.NEWS,weblink Libyan forces searching Gadhafi stronghold, Seattle Post-Intellegencer, Matthew, Lee, Rami, Al-Shaheibi, Associated Press, 19 October 2011, 29 January 2012, Bani Walid, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111018090328weblink">weblink 18 October 2011, The attackers took heavy casualties. The popular commander of the Zintan Brigade, Mustafa Bin Dardef, was struck and killed by mortar fire in the advance. The opposition forces managed to capture a vegetable market during their attack, but continued to receive small-arms and RPG fire from rooftops.WEB,weblink Libyans Close to Total Victory Over Gadhafi Forces, ABC News, ABC News, 21 November 2014, During the day, Gaddafi loyalists launched a fierce counter-attack, pushing NTC forces back about two kilometers, close to the conference center where Gaddafi forces had been holed up until the previous week. The opposition tried to regroup at the center, but became pinned down as a volley of 23 mm rounds hit their positions. The loyalist breakthrough led to NTC positions being shelled by mortar fire on the southern outskirts of the city, which had previously been declared secure, and sniper fire hitting opposition fighters at the Seven Hundred district in the suburbs.WEB,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111019011324weblink">weblink dead, 19 October 2011, Clinton in Libya to offer new aid package, msnbc.com, 21 November 2014, During this time, an Australian Muslim cleric, who was supporting the NTC, was shot and killed while delivering medical aid in the city.WEB,weblink Reports Sydney Muslim leader killed in Libya, ABC News, 19 October 2011, 21 November 2014, On 19 October, field commander Essam Baghhar, succeeding the late Bin Dardef in leading the Zintan Brigade, said the transitional government's fighters had counterattacked and pushed the loyalists back into the Number Two neighbourhood, taking control of Al Dollar, overnight. He said the loyalist-controlled area of Number Two was less than a square kilometre in size. The claim could not be immediately confirmed, though it was reported by Al Jazeera.NEWS,weblink Al Jazeera, 19 October 2011, 19 October 2011, Wed, 19 Oct 2011, 11:01 GMT+3 – Libya, Misrata fighters also improvised and brought to the battle a steel armoured bulldozer, armed with four heavy machine guns and a tank gun, for use in breaking through roadblocks.WEB,weblink Libyan rebels unveil latest DIY weapon, 21 November 2014, Some NTC fighters on the front line speculated that Muammar Gaddafi himself may have been in Sirte, judging by the strong resistance the loyalist forces were putting up, even after being heavily bombarded with artillery, rockets and tanks.NEWS,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20160304002100weblink">weblink dead, 4 March 2016, Libya forces relaunch Sirte assault after setback, Reuters, Reuters Africa, 19 October 2011, 22 October 2011, Sirte, Rania, El Gamal, Tim, Gaynor,

Final assault

{{See also|Killing of Muammar Gaddafi}}(File:Muammar al-Gaddafi at the AU summit.jpg|thumb|Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed during the Battle of Sirte.)On 20 October, the transitional government's fighters started their final assault on the last loyalists' positions at 08:00 local time. Just before the attack, dozens of carloads of loyalists tried to break out of the enclave down the coastal highway. However about 20 loyalists were killed after the rebel forces attacked them. The last neighbourhood was captured after a battle of 90 minutes; about 16 loyalists were captured.NEWS, Associated Press,weblink Libyan Fighters Capture Qaddafi Hometown, Fox News, 20 October 2011, 21 October 2011, In the hours that followed, NTC officials claimed that Muammar Gaddafi had been in the convoy that had fled earlier, and had been captured by rebels after being shot in the legs whilst trying to escape Sirte and had been taken away in an ambulance, although the reports were, at least for the immediate time following the announcement, unconfirmed.NEWS,weblink Colonel Gaddafi Killed, Claim National Transitional Council Officials, Sky News, 20 October 2011, 21 October 2011, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20111022191222weblink">weblink 22 October 2011, NEWS,weblink Muammar Gaddafi is dead, Emirates 24/7, 20 October 2011, 21 October 2011, About half an hour later the NTC confirmed that Gaddafi had succumbed to his wounds and died while in custody, and that Gaddafi's defence minister Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr had also been killed in a firefight.NEWS,weblink Muammar Gaddafi killed as Sirte falls, Al Jazeera, 20 October 2011, 21 October 2011, At least three Gaddafi loyalists were also killed in the firefight, according to a photo posted by the Washington Post.NEWS,weblink Video Said to Show a Wounded Gaddafi After Capture, Washington Post, 20 October 2011, Ninety-five other people were killed when the convoy was bombed by French jets, and during the following firefight.NEWS, Gaynor, Tim, Zargoun, Taha, Sirte,weblink Gaddafi caught like "rat" in a drain, humiliated and shot, Reuters, 21 October 2011, 29 January 2012, 14 October 2015,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20151014171359weblink">weblink live, Several days later, new camera phone videos that emerged suggested that Gaddafi was captured, taunted, beaten, sodomized with an unknown object and then shot in the head. His dead body may have been dragged behind a moving vehicle. These details remain to be independently elaborated and fully confirmed. A full investigation into the final minutes of Gaddafi's life was promised by the NTC,WEB,weblink Gaddafi Sodomized? Video Shows Libyan Leader Attacked By Captors, The Huffington Post, 24 October 2011, 21 November 2014, but no official inquest has been made. Human Rights Watch concluded in October 2012 that Gaddafi was killed after his capture, which would constitute a war crime if true.NEWS,weblink TIME, How Did Gaddafi Die? A Year Later, Unanswered Questions and Bad Blood, 18 October 2012, 18 February 2015,

Aftermath

{{See also|International reactions to the death of Muammar Gaddafi}}On 22 October, NTC forces began mop up operations to finish off the last loyalist elements in Sirte, although there did not appear to be any actual clashes taking place, and the fighters were more occupied clearing up the dead bodies of both sides as well as unexploded ordnance. Also, according to journalists on the scene, Sirte was mostly deserted apart from the NTC garrison.WEB,weblink Dunya News: Weird News:-Stray dogs mauled US university professor to dea..., 21 November 2014, WEB,weblink Libya poised for declaration of liberation, 22 October 2011, The Gaddafi family demanded that the NTC hand over Muammar Gaddafi's body to their tribe in Sirte for burial.NEWS,weblink London, The Daily Telegraph, Damien, McElroy, No post-mortem for Gaddafi as debate over burial continues, 22 October 2011, NATO announced that in light of Sirte's fall and the death of Gaddafi, it would end its military operations in Libya on 31 October.NEWS, Sofia News Agency,weblink NATO's Libya Mission 'Accomplished' after Gaddafi Death, to End Oct 31, 21 October 2011, 23 October 2011, On 23 October, reflecting its previous statements that it would consider the war to be finished with the capture of Sirte,NEWS,weblink CBC News, Libyan forces say liberation of Sirte is near, 8 October 2011, 23 October 2011, the NTC declared Libya to be "liberated" and announced plans for a democratic state based on Islamic law.NEWS,weblink The Sydney Morning Herald, Liberated Libya begins tough task of govt, Agence France-Presse, Jay, Deshmukh, 24 October 2011, 29 January 2012,

NTC massacre of Sirte loyalists

Within a week after the fall of the city, evidence emerged of mass killings of loyalist prisoners of war and other civilian supporters of Gaddafi's government. The victims killed included men, women, and children, while there were also reports of the rebels harassing and stealing from the locals. According to one resident, "The rebels are worse than rats. Nato is the same as Osama bin Laden." According to another local woman, "We lived in democracy under Muammer Gaddafi, he was not a dictator. I lived in freedom, Libyan women had full human rights. It isn't that we need Muammar Gaddafi again, but we want to live just as we did before." A local elderly woman stated "They are killing our children. Why are they doing this? For what? Life was good before!"NEWS, Sherlock, Ruth, Gaddafi loyalists stranded as battle for Sirte rages,weblink 28 October 2011, The Daily Telegraph, 2 October 2011, London, On 24 October, Human Rights Watch reported that 53 pro-Gaddafi fighters were seemingly executed by NTC fighters after they had discovered the remains of the 53 men at the Mahari hotel in Sirte that had been under control of the rebel fighters. Peter Bouckaert, the rights group's emergencies director, said the badly decomposed bodies were found by local residents three days before on 21 October. Some had their hands bound behind their backs. "The evidence suggests that some of the victims were shot while being held as prisoners, when that part of Sirte was controlled by anti-Gaddafi brigades who appear to act outside the control of the National Transitional Council," Mr. Bouckaert said. "If the NTC fails to investigate this crime it will signal that those who fought against Gaddafi can do anything without fear of prosecution."WEB,weblink 53 bodies found in Sirte; Loyalists executed?, CBS News, 24 October 2011, 21 November 2014, In addition, 10 more unknown bodies were found in a water reservoir in district 2.WEB,weblink Rights group: Bodies of 53 apparent Gadhafi loyalists found in hotel, the CNN Wire Staff, 24 October 2011, CNN, 21 November 2014, By 26 October, it was reported that the bodies of 267 executed loyalists had been found across the city. The nearly 300 bodies were all buried in several mass graves around Sirte. Another 572 loyalists, who were killed during the fighting, were reportedly buried in a local cemetery.

NATO strikes{| class"wikitable"

! colspan="7"|15 September â€“ 20 October NATO strikes!Date!Vehicles!Tanks!Missiles and missile launchers!Buildings!Radar and antennasACCESS-DATE=16 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=16 SEPTEMBER 2011, 2 armed vehicles 1 4 multiple rocket launchers, 8 air missile systems 1 military storage facility 0PUBLISHER=NATODATE=16 SEPTEMBER 2011, 4 armed vehicles 0 8 air missile systems 5 command and control nodes 3 radar systemsPUBLISHER=NATOACCESS-DATE=18 SEPTEMBER 2011, 1 armed vehicle 0 4 multiple rocket launchers, 4 surface-to-air missile Systems 2 command and control nodes 0PUBLISHER=NATOACCESS-DATE=19 SEPTEMBER 2011, 0 0 1 multiple rocket launcher, 4 air missile systems 1 military facility, 1 command and control node 0ACCESS-DATE=20 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=20 SEPTEMBER 2011, 1 armed vehicle 0 1 multiple rocket system 0 0ACCESS-DATE=21 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=21 SEPTEMBER 2011, 0 1 6 air missile systems 2 military ammunition/storage facilities, 1 command and control node, 1 military vehicle storage facility 0ACCESS-DATE=22 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=22 SEPTEMBER 2011, 0 0 5 surface-to-air missile systems 1 command and control node 0ACCESS-DATE=23 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=23 SEPTEMBER 2011, 0 0 0 1 ammunition storage and military barracks facility 0ACCESS-DATE=24 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=24 SEPTEMBER 2011, 2 armed vehicles 0 1 anti-aircraft gun 1 ammunition storage facility, 1 command and control node 0ACCESS-DATE=25 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=25 SEPTEMBER 2011, 29 armed vehicles 0 0 2 command and control nodes, 1 military staging location, 1 division storage bunker and radar facility, 3 ammunition storage facilities, 1 weapon firing position, 1 ammunition and vehicle storage facility, 1 vehicle staging point 0ACCESS-DATE=26 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=26 SEPTEMBER 2011, 1 military support vehicle 0 1 multiple rocket launcher, 1 artillery piece 1 command and control node, 2 ammunition/vehicle storage facilities, 1 ammunition storage facility 1 radar facilityACCESS-DATE=27 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=27 SEPTEMBER 2011, 0 0 0 1 command and control node, 1 ammunition/vehicle storage facility 0ACCESS-DATE=28 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=28 SEPTEMBER 2011, 0 0 0 1 ammunition/vehicle storage facility 0ACCESS-DATE=29 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=29 SEPTEMBER 2011, 0 1 0 1 ammunition/vehicle storage facility, 1 staging and firing location, 1 command and control node and staging area, 2 ammunition and missile facilities 0ACCESS-DATE=30 SEPTEMBER 2011DATE=30 SEPTEMBER 2011, 0 0 0 1 ammunition storage area, 1 multi rocket launcher area 0ACCESS-DATE=2 OCTOBER 2011DATE=2 OCTOBER 2011, 2 armed vehicles, 4 armoured infantry vehicles 1 0 1 command and control node, 1 infantry and anti-aircraft artillery staging area 0ACCESS-DATE=3 OCTOBER 2011DATE=3 OCTOBER 2011, 1 armed vehicle 0 1 multiple rocket launcher 0 0ACCESS-DATE=8 OCTOBER 2011DATE=8 OCTOBER 2011, 0 0 0 1 firing and vehicle staging point 0ACCESS-DATE=13 OCTOBER 2011DATE=13 OCTOBER 2011, 2 military vehicles 0 0 0 0ACCESS-DATE=21 OCTOBER 2011DATE=21 OCTOBER 2011, 11 armed vehicles 0 0 0 0!Total!60!4!49!45!4

References

{{clear}}{{Reflist}}{{Libyan civil war}}{{Coord|31|12|19|N|16|35|20|E|display=title}}