Key Facts
- Campaign start
- October 2014
- ISIL expelled from city
- July 2015
- Campaign duration
- ~2 years (2014–2016)
- Key rival group
- Abu Salim Martyrs Brigade (al-Qaeda-affiliated)
- Opposing government
- Tobruk-based House of Representatives
Strategic Narrative Overview
In June 2015, open clashes erupted between ISIL and a coalition of Islamist factions opposed to its authority. By July 2015, ISIL was forced to retreat from the city centre to outlying suburbs under sustained pressure from the Islamist alliance. Fighting did not cease with ISIL's withdrawal; the alliance then faced confrontations with forces loyal to the internationally recognised Tobruk-based government, complicating the security situation through 2016.
01 / The Origins
Amid the collapse of Libyan central authority following the 2011 civil war, ISIL exploited the power vacuum in eastern Libya to establish a presence in the coastal city of Derna in October 2014. The group seized government buildings, security vehicles, and key landmarks, positioning Derna as one of its earliest territorial holdings outside Iraq and Syria, though rival armed factions including the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Salim Martyrs Brigade retained control of portions of the city.
03 / The Outcome
ISIL lost its foothold in Derna's urban core by mid-2015, one of its earliest defeats in Libya. The Islamist alliance that expelled ISIL subsequently clashed with Tobruk government forces, leaving the city's political status unresolved. Derna remained contested through 2016, with no single authority establishing stable control and the broader Libyan conflict continuing without resolution.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
2 belligerents
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.