Nafusa Mountains campaign

Nafusa Mountains campaign
Part of the Libyan Civil War
Date 1 March – 18 August 2011 Location Nafusa Mountains, Libya Result Indecisive Rebels start an offensive toward the coast in mid-August. Territorial changes Pro-Gaddafi forces retake Gharyan, Kikla, Yafran and Rayayna from early March to late May, but lose all of their gains except Gharyan in June. Rebel-held al Galaa cut off and surrounded by pro-Gaddafi forces until the recapture of Yafran Rebels capture and hold the Wazzin border crossing, with some clashes spilling into Tunisia. Rebels capture all towns around the mountains from June to August. Rebels capture Gharyan on 18 August.
Belligerents
Anti-Gaddafi forces National Liberation Army Tunisia Tunisian Army Tunisian National Guard Police Force and Customs Officials[1] UNSC Resolution 1973 forces[2] NATO command[3]	Armed forces of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Commanders and leaders
Col. Mokhtar Milad Fernana[4] (Zintan commander) Cdr. Mohammed Ali Madani †[5] (1st Zintan commander) Cdr. Osama Juwaili[6] (2nd Zintan commander) Cdr. Ali al-Hajj (Yafran commander)[7]	Col. Shu'ayb al-Firjani (Zintan area)[8]
Strength
7,000~ 200+ rest of Nafusa mountain Towns	2,000–4,000[9] 40–50 tanks 40 technicals (Nalut-Zintan) 8 MRLs (in Zintan)[10]
Casualties and losses
517–534 killed*[11] 136 missing[12]	397 killed**[13] 215[14] – 295[15] captured** several tanks destroyed** 10+ tanks or armoured vehicles captured[16][17]
*The number of dead on the rebel side also includes civilians. **Based largely on unconfirmed rebel claims

The Nafusa Mountains campaign was a series of battles in the Libyan Civil War, fought between loyalist pro-Gaddafi forces and rebel anti-Gaddafi forces in the Nafusa Mountains and, at a later period, in the surrounding plains of western Libya. The mountain range is of strategic importance due to its close proximity to the capital of Tripoli. Along with the city of Misrata, the Nafusa Mountains region was one of the major rebel strongholds in Tripolitania.