Libya timeline
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Operation El Dorado Canyon
The United States bombing of Libya (code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon) comprised the joint United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps... Read more
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The U.S. Launches Air Strikes in Libya
The relationship between Libya and the U.S. under President Reagan was continually contentious, beginning with the Gulf of Sidra incident in 1981.... Read more
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Lockerbie Bombing Kills 270
Pan Am Flight 103, also commonly referred to as the Lockerbie bombing, was the bombing of a Pan Am transatlantic flight from London Heathrow... Read more
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Libya Frees All Six of the Medics in the HIV Trial
The Six then had their sentences commuted to life in prison by a Libyan government panel. They were released following a deal reached with European... Read more
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Crash of Afriqiyah Airways Flight 771
A young boy appeared to be the only survivor on Wednesday after a Libyan airliner crashed while landing at the airport in Tripoli, Libya, killing... Read more
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Arrest of Prominent Human-Rights Lawyer Sets Off Anti-Government Protests in Libya
The anti-government protest wave unleashed in Tunisia and Egypt in the past few weeks swept into Libya, where demonstrators battled security forces... Read more
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Moammar Gadhafi Refuses to Leave Power, Vows to Die in Libya and Execute His Foes
A violent confrontation between Libya's Moammar Gadhafi and his strengthening opposition threatened to drag the oil-rich nation into a civil war as... Read more
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White House Announces New Sanctions on Libya
The White House announced new sanctions on Libya's government and temporarily abandoned its embassy in Tripoli today, as a final flight carrying... Read more
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UN Security Council Imposes Sanctions on Gadhafi
The UN Security Council moved as a powerful bloc today to try to halt Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's deadly crackdown on protesters, slapping... Read more
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President Obama Calls for Gadhafi to Step Down
President Obama for the first time called for Moammar Gaddafi to resign Saturday, saying the Libyan leader "has lost the legitimacy to rule and... Read more
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Libyan Rebels Hold City of Zawiya after 6-Hour Battle
In a long night of fighting, Libyan rebels armed with tanks, machine guns, and anti-aircraft guns have managed to hold on to Zawiya, the city they... Read more
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Gadhafi Loyalists Go on Offensive Against Rebels
In a day of violent reversals, this was the old regime’s ultimate show of bravado: Flag-waving supporters of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi drove... Read more
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Gadhafi's Forces Launch Air Strikes Against Rebels in Oil-Rich Town of Brega
Libyan air forces rained at least three airstrikes down on Brega today, a day after rebel forces drove Gadhafi loyalists out of the major oil town.... Read more
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President Obama Orders Planes Sent to Evacuate Libyan Refugees
The US and the entire world continues to be outraged by the appalling violence against the Libyan people. Moammar Gadhafi has lost the legitimacy... Read more
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Gadhafi Hits Mass Protests with Tear Gas
State television said the town of Zawiya was recaptured by pro-Gadhafi forces, while rebels said they’d taken control of the airport at Ras Linuf,... Read more
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Gadhafi Forces Launch Fierce Counterattack
Moammar Gadhafi’s forces launched at least three new airstrikes against Libyan rebels today near the oil port of Ras Lanouf, and one witness says... Read more
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US Intelligence Chief Predicts Gadhafi's Forces will Triumph Over Rebels
Rebel fighters in Libya are unlikely to beat the forces loyal to ruler Moammar Gadhafi, says the US director of national intelligence. James... Read more
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France Recognizes Rebels as Legitimate Representative of Libyan People
France today became the first country to recognize the Libyan National Council as the only legitimate representative of the Libyan people,... Read more
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EU Leaders Call on Gadhafi to Step Down
It’s time for Moammar Gadhafi to go, the leaders of the EU have declared following an emergency meeting in Brussels. The leaders will “examine all... Read more
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US Announces Plan for Removing Gadhafi from Power
The White House has announced a five-point, non-military plan aimed at removing Moammar Gadhafi from power in Libya. Officials are set to partially... Read more
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Arab League Announces Support for Libyan No-Fly Zone
Moammar Gadhafi just got a little more isolated: The 22-nation Arab League today called on the UN to impose a no-fly zone over Libya, reports the... Read more
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Gadhafi's Forces Retake Oil-Rich Town of Brega
In the latest domino to fall for Libya's ragtag rebels, state television is reporting that Moammar Gadhafi's forces have retaken the oil town of... Read more
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UN Security Council Approves No-Fly Zone and Military Action in Libya
The UN Security Council has approved a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and authorize "all necessary measures" to protect civilians... Read more
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President Obama's Libya Speech
With admirable concision and a minimum of bluster, he conveyed a strong sense of the complexity of the Libyan situation, a situation in which many... Read more
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US Intelligence Source Reveals CIA Operating in Libya
The Central Intelligence Agency has inserted clandestine operatives into Libya to gather intelligence for military airstrikes and to contact and... Read more