The Battle of Misrata

Five years on, Misratans reflect on the siege of their city and how it played a role in the downfall of Gaddafi.




The Libyan revolution started in February 2011. Misrata in northwestern Libya was one of the main strongholds against the then President Muammar Gaddafi, along with the city of Benghazi.

In this film, we meet some of the people who not only witnessed the 13-week battle for the city but took part in some of the fiercest fighting of the civil war, with the minimum of training and experience.

As in Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria, early 2011 saw public frustration in Libya turn into open protest. It began in the northeastern city of Benghazi and the next day the people of Misrata also came out in numbers.

"Misratans took to the streets in support of the demonstrations in Benghazi. They showed solidarity, just like the people of Zintan did with our brothers in the east. It was a duty rather than a favour," says university professor Ibrahim Saffar.