Battle of Sirte (2011)

Battle of Sirte
Part of the Second Gulf of Sidra offensive of the First Libyan Civil War
Situation in Sirte just prior to the 20 October assault
Date 15 September – 20 October 2011 (1 month and 5 days) Location Sirte, Libya Result Decisive anti-Gaddafi victory Pro-Gaddafi forces repel three rebel attacks on the city in September[2][3] Anti-Gaddafi forces capture all of Sirte after a fourth attack End of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya regime Muammar Gaddafi, Mutassim Gaddafi, and Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr killed End of First Libyan Civil War
Belligerents
Libya National Liberation Army NATO command[1]	Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Libyan Army Paramilitary forces Gaddafi loyalists
Commanders and leaders
Hamid Hassy Mustafa Bin Dardef †[4][5] Touhami Zayani[6] Essam Baghhar Yunus al-Abdali[7]	Muammar Gaddafi (WIA)  Mutassim Gaddafi (WIA) †[8] Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr †[9] Mansour Dhao (POW)[10] Abdel Rahman Abdel Hamid (POW)[11] Sayyid Gaddaf al-Dam (POW)[12]
Units involved
Unknown	People's Guard[13]
Strength
16,000 fighters[14] 163[15]–900[16] technicals	1,000[15]–5,000[17] fighters (NTC claim)
Casualties and losses
265 killed,[18] 2,030 wounded[19]	868[20][21][22] killed, 200 wounded,[23][24] 150+ captured[25]
800 civilians killed (NTC claim)[26] 2,151 civilians killed (Loyalist claim)[27][28]

The Battle of Sirte was the final and most decisive battle of the First Libyan Civil War, beginning when the National Liberation Army attacked the last remnants of the Libyan army still loyal to Muammar Gaddafi in his hometown and designated capital of Sirte, on the Gulf of Sidra. As of September 2011, Sirte and Bani Walid were the last strongholds of Gaddafi loyalists and the National Transitional Council hoped that the fall of Sirte would bring the war to an end.^[29] The battle and its aftermath marked the final collapse of the four-decade Gaddafi regime.^[30] Both Gaddafi and his son, Mutassim, were wounded and captured, then tortured and killed in custody less than an hour later. The month-long battle left Sirte almost completely in ruins, with many buildings damaged or totally destroyed.^[31]