A Brief History
Muammar Gaddafi gained power over Libya on 1 September 1969 after leading a group of Libyan military officers against King Idris I, the former ruler of Libya. The king soon fled the country in seek of protection, which caused the Libyan Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) headed by Gaddafi to abolished the monarchy and the old constitution and establish the new Libyan Arab Republic, with the motto "freedom, socialism, and unity".
Life Under The Rule of Muammar Gadaffi
Before the Gadaffi came into power, the country was not successful economically nor socially . After coming to power, the RCC government , directed by Gaddafi himself, took action to direct funds toward providing education, health care and housing for all citizens. Public education became free and primary education was made compulsory. Medical care was made available at no cost but providing housing for all citizens could not be meet by the government. Under Gaddafi, per capita income rose to more than US $11,000, the fifth highest in Africa. The increase in wealth was accompanied by a foreign policy, with increased political repression at home.
Although Gaddafi established a more stable life for Libyan citizens. he used means of violence to control the citizens. He would imprison any citizen who would rebel against him. This is what caused most Libyans to rebel. Citizens were imprisoned but families of the prisoner were not allowed to visit or ask information about any of the prisoners. Later families received a letters letting them know that their beloved one died in prison due to illness or some bizarre reason.
The Rebellion in 2011
In the year 2000, the prison released information about a mass shooting that occurred in the year 1996, which was a result of the prisoners rebelling against the prison guards. Sources say that over 1200 prisoners were brought to the prison grounds, where the prison guards were rallied on a higher stage armed with guns. The shooting took over 3 hours, killing all the prisoners.
After this information was released to the public, people reacted in shock but not much action was taken. On February 15, 2011, anti government rallies were held in Banghāzī by protesters angered by the arrest of a human rights lawyer, Fethi Tarbel, who was a significant figure in speaking out for the prisoners that were killed in 1996. The protesters wanted Qaddafi to let go of his powers and to release political leaders that were imprisoned . Libyan forces used water cannons and rubber bullets against the rebellions, causing many injuries to the citizens.
As the rebellions got stronger and stronger, Gaddafi brought in foreign armies to fight against his own people. He payed these soldiers large amounts of money so that he had support if any of his own people rebelled against him. He used air mussels and guns to fight against his own people. A large amount of citizens were killed due to Gaddafi's actions.
The Death of Gaddafi
On 19 October, sources revealed that Gaddaffi was in the southern desert, organizing an army to fight back. Gaddafi had been with heavily armed regime loyalists in several buildings in Sirte for several months.
At around 08:30 local time on 20 October, Gaddafi, his army of a group of his supporter attempted to escape in 75 vehicles . A Royal Air Force aircraft spotted the army, after NATO forces intercepted a satellite phone call made by Gaddafi. This caused many other armies to fire on Gadaffi.
After many airstrikes, that destroyed the vehicle in front of Muammar Gaddafi's car, he and his son Mutassim, and former defense minister Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr, took shelter in a nearby house.
One of Gaddafi's guards threw a grenade at rebels on the road above, but it hit a concrete wall above the pipes and fell in front of Gaddafi. The guard tried to pick it up, but it exploded, killing both the guard and Yunis Jabr.
At around 08:30 local time on 20 October, Gaddafi, his army of a group of his supporter attempted to escape in 75 vehicles . A Royal Air Force aircraft spotted the army, after NATO forces intercepted a satellite phone call made by Gaddafi. This caused many other armies to fire on Gadaffi.
After many airstrikes, that destroyed the vehicle in front of Muammar Gaddafi's car, he and his son Mutassim, and former defense minister Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr, took shelter in a nearby house.
One of Gaddafi's guards threw a grenade at rebels on the road above, but it hit a concrete wall above the pipes and fell in front of Gaddafi. The guard tried to pick it up, but it exploded, killing both the guard and Yunis Jabr.