Gaddafi loyalism

This article is part of a series about Muammar Gaddafi
Early life Personal life Arab nationalism Nasserism Third International Theory The Green Book Killing International reactions Reception and legacy Gaddafi loyalism Free Officers Arab Socialist Union Revolutionary Command Council General People's Committee History of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution (1979–2011) Secretary General of the General People's Congress (1977–1979) Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council (1969–1977) Prime Minister of Libya (1970–1972) Chairperson of the African Union (2009–2010) Military (Armed Forces) Libyan coup d'état (1969) Yom Kippur War (1973) Lebanese Civil War (1976) Egyptian–Libyan War (1977) Chadian–Libyan War (1978–1987) Action in the Gulf of Sidra (1986) United States bombing of Libya (1986) Toyota War (1986–1987) First Libyan Civil War (2011) NATO invasion of Libya (2011) Leadership (History) Libyan Arab Republic Federation of Arab Republics Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 1970 expulsion of Italians from Libya 1973 oil crisis Cultural Revolution Weapons of mass destruction West Berlin discotheque bombing Lockerbie bombing UTA Flight 772 Support for rebel and paramilitary groups Elections and referendums 1971 Libyan Federation of Arab Republics referendum
v t e

Gaddafi loyalism, in a wider political and social sense also known as the Green resistance, consists of sympathetic sentiment towards the overthrown government of Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed in October 2011, and his Third International Theory. Despite Muammar Gaddafi's death, his legacy and Jamahiriya ideology still maintains a popular appeal both inside and outside Libya into the present day.^[1][2][3] Regardless, the Western sentiment has largely been that this continued support may contribute to some of the ongoing violence in Libya.

Sympathy for Gaddafi and his fallen government is viewed rather negatively by current Libyan authorities—both the legal government and extralegal militias— and even accusations of it can provoke harsh responses. In May 2012, the postwar government passed legislation imposing severe penalties for anyone giving favourable publicity to Gaddafi, his family, their regime or ideas, as well as anything denigrating the new government and its institutions or otherwise judged to be damaging to public morale.^[4] Derisively called tahloob ("algae") by anti-Gaddafi Libyans,^[5] suspected loyalists have faced strong persecution following the war. Around 7,000 loyalist soldiers, as well as civilians accused of support for Gaddafi are being held in government prisons. Amnesty International has reported large scale torture and other mistreatment and executions, of those perceived as enemies of the new government.^[6][7][8][9]

Reports and rumours of organised pro-Gaddafi activity have persisted since the war's end. The Libyan Popular National Movement was organised in exile on 15 February 2012 (the first anniversary of the protests that led to the civil war) by former officials in the Gaddafi government. The party, banned from participating in Libyan elections, may have also cultivated links with armed pro-Gaddafi groups in Libya. Statements from the party sometimes appear on websites affiliated with the so-called "Green Resistance" (after the sole colour of Gaddafi's flag), a term sometimes used by sympathisers to refer to supposed pro-Gaddafi militant groups.^[10][11]

Bani Walid, Sabha, Tripoli, Ghat, Al Ajaylat, Brak, and Sirte are notable strongholds of Gaddafi loyalism.^{[12][13][14][15]}