February 17, 2011, a day protesters have named the Day of Rage. Libyan Protesters took to the streets in defiance of crackdowns, seeking to oust Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, and more than a dozen were killed. Opponents to the regime took to anonymous social media to encourage large scale uprising similar to the ones which had recently ousted Rulers in Tunisia and Egypt. There were major demonstrations in Benghazi, Ajdabiya, Darnah and Zintan. These protesters wanted a life out from under Gaddafi.
With different militias all vying for different parts of the country, Libya remains in Civil War. This article is from 2014 at the beginning of the Second Libyan Civil War, which happened after the toppling of Gaddafi. Militias have been skirmishing since Gadaffi was toppled, involving nationalists and Islamists.
Reflection: Before reading these two articles about Libya, I didn’t know much about the civil war there other than it began with opposition to Gadaffi. The current Civil War there, I have learned is really about which militia will have legitimate control over the country. I still have only basic level information about the country and the ongoing conflict, but Im curious to find out more. What I really want to get deeper into is the root causes of the violence there and how better planning from intervening countries might have impacted the outcome. Going on seven years at war with each other, they need to find answers.