The Battle of the Misrata frontline was a battle during the Libyan Civil War between pro-Gaddafi loyalists and anti-Gaddafi forces on the western and southwestern outskirts of Misrata, the third largest city in Libya. It ended when anti-Gaddafi soldiers secured Zliten to the west and Tawergha to the south, establishing a significant buffer zone around the city.
Background Following the Battle of Misrata in mid-May 2011, rebel forces retook large parts of the city, which had been under pro-Gaddafi control, and established a defence line on Misrata's western outskirts at the small town of Dafniya, 35 kilometers from the centre of the city, and on the southwestern outskirts near Tawergha, which was still loyalist-held. What followed was more than a month of heavy frontline fighting and shelling. The aim of the rebels was to keep Misrata out of the artillery range of loyalist forces and to eventually make a breakthrough to the west toward the town of Zliten and then ultimately to the capital of Tripoli.
Battle
Frontline fighting and stalemate On 16 May, NATO warships chased away two inflatable boats near Misrata's port, one boat was left abandoned with explosives and mannequins on board. They were said to look like people and were apparently meant to draw ships in so they could be targeted when the explosives detonated. The boat was destroyed by gunfire.
On 17 May, seven people were killed and 32 wounded, mostly rebels, during clashes between opposition and loyalist forces on the eastern and western edges of the city. The same day, Libyan state television claimed that Gaddafi's forces attacked a NATO warship off the coast of Misrata, this however was denied by NATO officials, stating that "It's a totally fabricated allegation".
On 19 May, one rebel was killed and 10 were wounded by loyalist artillery fire in Dafniya, Zreig and Abu Rwea, on Misrata's western outskirts.
On 23 May, two more people were killed and several wounded in fighting on the city's outskirts. During the fighting, a column of five loyalist tanks, accompanied by 50 infantry, advanced on rebel positions at Dafniya, on Misrata's western outskirts. During the advance, opposition forces were hit by heavy artillery shelling and rocket fire. The shelling also hit some of Misrata's neighbourhoods in the western and southern suburbs.
On 26 May, three rebels were killed and 20 wounded by mortar fire on the frontlines near Misrata.
On 27 May, Gaddafi's forces laid landmines in the Misrata area, according to the commander of the NATO mission. "This morning reports showed that a minefield was laid in the Misrata area," Lieutenant General Charles Bouchard told a news conference. Also, rebels and loyalists engaged in fierce fighting for a second straight day on the western outskirts of the city in which five more rebels were killed and more than a dozen wounded.NATO says destroyed Gaddafi compound guard towers 1
On 28 May, rebels and loyalists fought at Tawergha, 40 kilometres south of Misrata, where rebels claimed to have captured a hospital which contained numerous weapons and tanks. Fighting also raged 25 kilometres east of Misrata. In all, 8-10 rebels were reported to have died in the fighting and 15-40 were wounded. Two loyalist soldiers were captured and an unknown number killed.NATO says destroyed Gaddafi compound guard towers 2
On 29 May, two rebels were killed and 28 wounded after loyalists attempted an attack against Dafniya. The rebels claimed to have killed several soldiers, captured a tank and repelled the attack.Britain readies "bunker-busting" bombs for Libya
On 31 May, opposition forces attempted to advance from Dafniya toward loyalist lines but were pushed back in fighting that left one rebel dead and 29 wounded.
On 1 June, a rebel spokesman from Zliten claimed that the Gaddafi regime was arming criminals in order to use them to crush an anti-Gaddafi rebellion in that city. The regime flatly denied these reports, labelling them unverified and "completely false".
On 2 June, shelling at the frontline left one person dead and three wounded.
On 3 June, more fighting killed one rebel and wounded two at the frontline.
On 4 June, in fighting on both the western and eastern outskirts of Misrata, four rebels were killed and one wounded.Britain says rebels must plan for post-Gaddafi Libya
On 6 June, loyalist forces pushed two kilometers into Dafniya, on the western side of Misrata, firing Grad rockets, before being pushed back by three kilometers. Two people were killed and 17 wounded during the fighting and the main station supplying electricity to Misrata had been hit leaving some areas of the city without power. At the same time, there was also fighting on the eastern side of the town.
On 8 June, loyalist forces launched a massive offensive on Misrata, shelling the city from three sides and trying to enter the city. After the loyalist attack, the rebels attempted a counter-attack and they also advanced to the west, south and east. But their advance was stopped and they suffered heavy casualties. In total, 14 rebels were killed and 35 wounded. One rebel claimed that 70 loyalist soldiers were killed during the fighting, but no other source confirmed the claim.
On 10 June, loyalist forces shelled Misrata and made a ground attack against opposition lines killing 31 rebels and wounding 160. Several loyalist soldiers were also killed and at least two tanks destroyed. A rebel spokesman stated that during the previous week of fighting 120 people had been killed at Misrata's frontline and 350 wounded, most of them rebels. Libya State TV reported that government forces shot down a NATO helicopter near Zliten. NATO denied this. At the same time, heavy fighting had reportedly broken out in Zliten, due to an uprising from rebels within the city.
By 12 June, the rebel death toll from three days of shelling had reached nearly 40.Libyan Forces Shell Rebel Port City In West The same day, seven rebels fighters were killed and 49 wounded in the Dafniya district. The rebels also claimed to have captured 10 loyalist soldiers after an ambush. The Misrata refinery was damaged after six rockets hit its power generators.
On 17 June, loyalists and rebels exchanged artillery fire killing ten rebels and one civilian. 39 opposition fighters and two children were wounded. Rebels fired rockets aiming for government tanks and ammo stockpiles in Naimah.
The next day, 18 June, Gaddafi's forces withdrew from Naimah, with minimal fighting, prompting rebels to take the area. Al Jazeera correspondent Tony Birtley said the rebels were now aiming to take the village of Majer, southwest of Naimah, and southeast of Zliten.
On 19 June, 10 rebels were killed and 54 wounded in shelling and an ambush conducted by Gaddafi forces,Libya says NATO airstrike kills 9 civilians who advanced one kilometer toward rebel lines, making the total casualties for just over a week at more than 40 dead and around 200 wounded. Reuters reporter Matt Robinson analyzed that the rebels small gains were made with heavy casualties due to their inexperience in battles in open areas. Rebels also admitted of doing tactical mistakes such as ruining surprise attacks. One rebel also complained that it was always the same units fighting on the frontline.
On 20 June, more fighting near Dafniya left another 11 rebels deadGaddafi rockets dent sense of security in Misrata and 30-54 wounded. Also, a loyalist rocket attack on a residential area near Misrata's port killed a 14-year-old boy and wounded six of his relatives, including his mother and brother.NATO loses contact with drone chopper over Libya
On 21 June, during another round of fighting, four rebels were killed and 60 wounded. Loyalist forces had managed to advance one kilometer which led to rebel mortar units falling back slightly. Four loyalist long-range rockets hit Misrata's city center, but there were no casualties.
On 22 June, more loyalist artillery bombardment at the frontline killed four rebels and wounded 12. Earlier in the day, NATO air-strikes and ship shelling hit a loyalist military compound in Zliten, which was allegedly used for artillery attacks against rebel positions near Misrata. NATO stated that they destroyed 13 technicals, one armored personnel carrier and one mobile rocket launcher. In addition, a rebel spokesman claimed that over 200 loyalist soldiers were killed in the attack. However, there was no independent verification of the number of dead and previous rebel claims of loyalist death tolls were known to be inflated. The loyalists, for their part, claimed that dozens of people were killed.
As of 24 June, information coming from the battlefield became almost non-existent, since rebels initiated a media clampdown on the press with the introduction of official minders, vetted translators and no more free trips to the frontline, citing setbacks on the front.
On 26 June, an AP reporter from Misrata stated that one person was killed and seven wounded by two shells.Libya bombing campaign enters 100th day
On 2 July, it was reported that shelling at Dafniya left 11 rebels wounded.
On 3 July, two rebels were killed and 12 wounded during fighting on the frontline.
On 4 July, six rebels were killed and 22 wounded in a loyalist ambush south of Misrata. The next day, another 11 rebels were killed and 42 others wounded in the heaviest artillery bombardment of rebel positions by Gaddafi's forces in weeks.
On 6 July, 19 rebels were killed and 42 others wounded in fighting near Misrata, as well as 10 loyalist soldiers. Three civilians were also killed in loyalist rocket attacks. Among the rebels killed was Air Marshal Brigadier Ali Attalah Obeidi, who defected in April to the opposition forces.Libya rebels battle in plains south of Tripoli Earlier in the day, rebels said that they advanced 20 km toward the west but a Reuters reporter who later reached the new front line said the rebel positions had moved forward by seven kilometers.Libyan rebels push towards Tripoli on two fronts
Rebel advance on Suq Al Thulatha On 8 July, after heavy fighting which continued since 6 July, the rebels claimed that they managed to capture the village Suq Al Thulatha on the outskirts of Zliten, about away from the city center. Seven rebels died and more than 30 were wounded in the fighting. Another 500 rebel fighters from other parts of rebel-held Libya also reinforced Misrata fighters the same day.Rebels advance to Tripoli, the UN is preparing to ease sanctions
On 10 July, rebels encountered several minefields in Suq Al Thulatha, in which one rebel died and 32 were injured.Kadhafi forces counterattack southwest of Tripoli Rebels had also shelled the coastal road near Zliten, in the early hours, killing seven people.
On 11 July, 11 rebels were killed and 25 wounded in more fighting in the area of Suq Al Thulatha after loyalist forces attempted to take a hill which had a strategic overlook of Misrata in the distance. They advance 300 meters before being pushed back.
On 12 July, 19 rebels were killed and 22 wounded in heavy frontline shelling by loyalist forces.
The next day, 13 July, more fighting left five rebels dead and 17 wounded.
On 16 July, six rebels were killed and four wounded in fighting on the frontline.
On 18 July, 23 rebel fighters were wounded during fighting in the region of Dafniya.
On 20 July, seven rebels were killed and 13 wounded when they started a new offensive towards Zliten that they claimed had put them within 1.5 kilometers of the city. Three wounded loyalist soldiers were captured by the rebels during the fighting, of which one died later of his wounds. Rebel forces attempting to advance towards Zliten managed to capture General Abdul Nahib Zayid, who had been commanding pro-Gaddafi forces in Zliten and who had been heavily involved in the Battle of Misrata.
Between 25 and 26 July, three rebels were killed and 11 others wounded in fighting on the frontline.