Libya is bordered by Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria and Tunisia. The Ottomans took control in 1551 until 1912, Italy colonised Libya from 1912 to 1943 and from 1943 to 1951 Libya was under allied occupation. According to a report, the british administered the two former italian provinces of Tripolitana and Cyrenaïca while the french administered the province of Fezzan, deep in the Sahara desert. In 1952 Libya reportedly declared its independence. The u.n. have been active in Libya since the 1950s
Reportedly, King Idris was overthrown in a bloodless coup by Muammar Gadaffi in 1969. According to a report, italian assets were expropriated and Libyan jews and the 12,000 italians living in Libya were expelled. The prosperity of the oil rich nation increased. Reportedly, Muammar Gadaffi’s rule was based on islamic socialism, african nationalism and direct democracy. That is the electorate decided on policy innitiatives. According to the report, Libya’s oil revenue soared in the 1970s and much money was spent on arms purchases, some to supply paramilitary groups from around the world.
Reportedly, in 1986 an american airstrike intending to kill Muammar Gadaffi failed. According to the report, the bombing of a commercial flight at Lockerbie, south western Scotland in 1988 killing 270 people resulted in u.n. sanctions. Reportedly, Libya transitioned to nuclear power. In 2011 protests appeared to have morphed into the first civil war and colonel Gadaffi was overthrown.
According to the report, the national transitional council governed Libya following the war, and handed power to a new assembly, the general national Congress (gnc) ten months later. Reportedly, militants reacted and killed the u.s. ambassador to Libya and three others. There followed a change of prime ministers. According to the report, the gnc did not recognise the new government. The second civil war began in 2014. Reportedly, militants seized Derne and Sirte in February. According to the report, in 2015 armed supporters of the gnc occupied Tripoli forcing the government to relocate to Tobruk.
Reportedly, an election involving a new legislative body was marred with violence and poor turnout. According to the report, nearly 700,000 migrants reached Italy by boat between 2013 and 2018, many from Libya.
Reportedly, in 2019 Khalifa Haftar who served under colonel Gadaffi launched operation flood of dignity in an offensive to capture the western region of Libya and the capital, Tripoli, held by the u.n. backed government of national accord (gna). According to the report, in 2019 forces allied to the gna successfully captured Gharyan where military commander Khalifa Haftar and his soldiers were based. Reportedly, dozens of Haftar’s soldiers were killed and atleast 18 were taken prisoner. Fighting continued.
According to the report, in 2021 and 2022 the country’s first presidential elections were postponed. Reportedly, Fathi Bashaga was selected as prime minister by the eastern based house of representatives, but Abdul Hamid Dbeibeth of the u.n. backed Tripoli government of national unity refused to hand over power. According to the report, in protest leaders from the town of Ubari shut down the El Sharara oil field, Libya’s largest oil field. Reportedly, on July 22 2023 the house of representatives was burnt down. According to reports, on September 10 catastrophic floods caused by two dams collapsing during storm Daniel devastated the port city of Derne killing 7,000 people. Reportedly, the waves 7 metres high swept away entire city blocks, a quarter of the city has disappeared and over 10,000 people are missing.