Libya

 

Libya comes to C.A.R’s Assistance

May 30, 2001
Libya comes to C.A.R’s Assistance

Troops support Central African Republic against an attempted coup.

Libya and U.S. Mend Relationship

January 1, 2002
Libya and U.S. Mend Relationship

Libya and U.S. begin discussions to mend years of hostility over suspected local terrorism support.

Qaddafi Points Fingers

March 30, 2003
Qaddafi Points Fingers

President Gaddafi blames Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for U.S. intervention in the Middle East.

Libya Gives up WMD

December 1, 2003
Libya Gives up WMD

Libya states that it will no longer pursue weapons of mass destruction.

Blair Visits Libya

March 8, 2004
Blair Visits Libya

British Prime Minister Tony Blair visits Libya, the first time a British prime minister has done so since 1943.

Libya and U.S. Reconcile

January 11, 2005
Libya and U.S. Reconcile

The return of U.S.-Libyan economic relations after 20 years begins with first auction of oil and gas licenses.

Libya Promotes Public-Sector Jobs

January 26, 2007
Libya Promotes Public-Sector Jobs

Prime minister announces plans to increase government jobs by a third (400,000 more), to promote the private sector and relax spending.

Gaddafi Elected Chairman of African Union

February 28, 2009
Gaddafi Elected Chairman of African Union

President Gaddafi is elected as chairman of the African Union, with ambitions to unify the organization as the United States of Africa.

Russian Arms Deal

January 31, 2010
Russian Arms Deal

Libya and Russia agree to an arms deal worth $1.8 billion, which includes fighter jets, tanks, and air defense systems.

UNHCR Forced from Libya

June 30, 2010
UNHCR Forced from Libya

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a UN refugee agency, is kicked out of Libya.

Protests in Libya Turn Violent

February 28, 2011
Protests in Libya Turn Violent

Arab Spring protesters clash against country’s leader, Colonel Gaddafi. At first non-violent, the protests turn bloody as the regime counters with a crackdown.

UAE Joins Fight in Libya

March 31, 2011
UAE Joins Fight in Libya

UAE joins international military operations in Libya.

Qatar Joins Fight in Libya

April 30, 2011
Qatar Joins Fight in Libya

Qatar joins international military operations in Libya, calling on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to resign. Qatar is suspected of supplying arms to Libyan rebel groups.

New General National Congress in Libya

August 31, 2012
New General National Congress in Libya

Libyan Transitional Government hands power to newly elected General National Congress.

Benghazi Attack

September 30, 2012
Benghazi Attack

On September 11th, terrorists attack a CIA compound in Benghazi, Libya, and kill four American citizens, including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.

Gaddafi Officials Banned from Office

May 31, 2013
Gaddafi Officials Banned from Office

New law bans Gaddafi-era officials from holding public office.

Libyan Civil War Breaks Out

February 28, 2014
Libyan Civil War Breaks Out

Libyan protesters criticize General National Congress for refusing to disband. Libyan Army General attacks Islamist groups in Benghazi. New elections are held, Islamists heavily defeated, and violence erupts between GNC advocates and loyalists to the newly elected parliament. As civil war erupts, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria captures port city of Derna.

UAE Targets Libya

August 31, 2014
UAE Targets Libya

The UAE intervenes in Libya, targeting Islamist militants with airstrikes.

Interim Libyan Government

January 31, 2016
Interim Libyan Government

UN announces new interim government, based in Tunisia; neither Tobruk nor Tripoli recognizes its authority.

Ceasefire in Libya

January 31, 2016
Ceasefire in Libya

UN-sponsored negotiations in Geneva compel Libyan Army and Tripoli militia to agree to a ceasefire.

Oil terminals siezed

September 11, 2016
Oil terminals siezed

Libyan National Army (LNA) under General Khalifa Haftar seizes three Libyan oil terminals.

Islamic State driven from Benghazi

July 5, 2017
Islamic State driven from Benghazi

General Khalifa Haftar’s forces reportedly ejected the Islamic State and Islamist militants from Benghazi following three years of fighting.

France hosts summit with Libya

May 29, 2018
France hosts summit with Libya

France hosted a summit with Libya’s rival faction leaders Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and General Khalifa Haftar, alongside representatives from 20 countries, including the United Nations. The parties secured a date to pass electoral laws by September 16 and to hold parliamentary and presidential elections on December 10.

Key oil imports handed back to country’s oil corporation

July 11, 2018
Key oil imports handed back to country’s oil corporation

General Khalifa Haftar handed back control of key oil ports to the country’s national oil corporation (NOC), effectively ending the shut-down of the country’s already dwindled oil production.