Unliberated Zuwarah Left To Defend Against Green "Black Crescent"

The Black Crescent:

shown by the green flags representing the Arab areas still loyal to Gaddafi, as of January 2012. 

The Black Crescent:

Most Libyans and international media institutions speak about Libya being liberated, some three months ago. But many Berbers from Zuwarah say their city is not liberated yet, as the Arab loyalists of the "Black Crescent" still fly the green flag, and as they are still to this day (January 2012) being attacked by Gaddafi's loyalists still surrounding the Berbers (unofficial) capital Tamort ('Zuwarah'). So what is the story?

The Black Crescent refers to the area surrounding Zuwarah from all land sides -- east, south and west, from Lajilat and all the way to the Tunisian border. The only safe side is the sea, obviously. This area is inhabited by Arab Bedouin tribes who still are loyal to Gaddafi and his vanished regime. A number of fights took place between the Arabs and the Berbers before and after the liberation day, as they still take place today, albeit not reported internationally as they were early on during the bombing campaign!

After rebel forces from Nafousa, Zuwarah, Zawiya and Mesratha captured Tripoli, some of Gaddafi's remaining units fled to the Crescent area, where they remained, practically unchallenged by the NTC. The people of Zuwarah say the loyal units attacking them were initially commanded by Saadi Gaddafi (now in Niger) and Alkhwildi Alhamidi from Lajilat (at the eastern tip of the crescent).

On the 24th of August 2011 they began shelling the town of Zuwarah as well as the seaport of Zuwarah. Anees al Fonas, a member of the rebel media council from Zuwara, has reported that rockets and mortars continued to be fired from the nearby towns of Zelten, Riqdalin and Ejmeil "for the last 24 hours, nonstop". At least 8 civilians were killed and many more were wounded. One civilian was killed on Monday by a rocket which landed on the roof of his house, and four others were injured. But somehow the Zuwarah rebel forces eventually succeeded in seizing Mazraq al-Shams army base and even took the fight to Ejmeil and Regdalin.

Ras Ejdir crossing was closed and barbed wire set up along the border. However, on the 27th of August 2011 Zuwarah rebels took control of Ras Ejdir border point with Tunisia, after fighting with government loyalists, who fled back to the safe haven of the Black Crescent. Both flags, the Berber and independence flags, were raised over the border point.

Many Berber revolutionaries and members of Zuwarah's local council had openly criticised both NATO and the NTC for not doing enough to enforce the "protection of civilians" as called for by the UN mandate. They have sent coordinates to NATO, but no bombers arrived. They were left alone. Reinforcements from nearby Sabratha could not reach Zuwarah because Gaddafi forces were in control of the area between the two towns (the crescent part between Ejmeil and Lajilat).

On the 6th of October 2011 at least three more missiles hit Zuwarah, two landed in the sea and the other on an empty house. The missiles were fired by Gaddafi's loyalists from the Regdalin area. Three days later the battle was still raging, with both sides sustaining more casualtuies. Reports from Zuwarah said at least 15 Gaddafi loyalist and two fighters from Zuwarah were killed, but the true figure could be much more. On the 8th of October 2011 another rocket landed in Zuwarah, but luckily the occupants of the destroyed house were in Tunisia at the time. Even after Liberation, rockets and missiles continued to fall on civilian homes in Zuwarah, when others were celebrating the liberation of libya and the completion of NATO's mission "with precision". The Berbers defended themselves and a full battle broke out again.

To avoid escalating the conflict into a full tribal war, Arabs against Berbers, it was decided to bring a military force from Mesratha to keep the two sides apart. But even though the force did succeed in wearing down the resistance after a series of battles and bringing the situation under control, the Berbers continued to be attacked whenever they ventured inland in an attempt to visit their farms. The Mesratha force stayed in place until last week (first week of January 2012), when they suddenly left the area, thereby leaving Zuwarah without any protection, once more. This means that Zuwarah now remains unprotected and heavily surrounded by Gaddafi loyalists who still fly the green flag in liberated Libya.

Ever since whenever the Berbers attempted to reach their farms (located all around the Arab villages), they came under attack by the Arabs of Ejmeil and Regdalin. Their cars were either smashed or stolen; they were beaten up and robbed, and left to flee home. With Mesratha rebels back at home, understandably, one can only continue to live in fear and terror when others already sharing the spoils of Liberated Libya and compiling glossy reports at the Roxis Hotel.

Many Berbers left for Tunisia after living conditions became impossible due to the UN harsh sanctions, the scorching heat of summer sun, and the war, with the shops empty and the economy under siege, those who stayed often drive to nearby Tunisia for shopping, and to visit friends. But most often there too they get attacked by the loyalists living inside Tunisia (at the end of the western edge of the crescent), and even by Tunisians themselves. In the way back they get ambushed by Regdalin's loyalists and loose everything, and go back to Zuwarah empty handed once again.

The frequent attacks took place near the border and near Bengerdan, in Zukra, where they were stopped, their money taken, and their cars broken -- almost the exact revenge attacks seen at the heart of the crescent and further east, while the green flag was seen waving on top of lamp posts (inside Tunisia). Eventually the revolutionaries of Zuwarah decided in early December to defend themselves against the loyalists, as they did before liberation day, since there was no other law authority in sight at the strategic border between the two turbulent countries nor in or around the Black Crescent; leading to a shooting incident and trouble erupting now and then.

Zuwarah Media Centre.

Zuwarah Police Station speaking of the attacks in Tunisia, 31 December 2011.

The official reaction to all of this is perhaps summed up by Libya's new ambassador in Tunis, who warned that there are those individuals who want to create divisions between Libya and Tunisia -- as if Libya and Tunisia were one and united country! Both authorities eventually intervened and closed down the border point for two weeks. On the 15th of December the border was reopened after an agreement was reached between the Libyan army and the Tunisian authorities. However, two weeks later, on the 31st of December 2011, the last day of the last year, Berber citizens from Zuwarah were once again attacked inside Tunisia by Tunisians and Gaddafi loyalists, near Bengerdan. They were stopped while driving through (road blocks), hit with stones, their money and property taken, and their cars smashed or even taken. The victims now have no option but to report the attacks to Zuwarah's Police Station; the station passes on the messages; then no one hears anything, except the new reports that continue to arrive in and from Zuwarah.

The NTC made an obligation early on, and according to this obligation the NTC is urged to send an official Libyan army unit to this volatile zone to ensure the protection of Berber civilians of Zuwarah by all necessary means.

To read more about Zuwarah, the unofficial capital of the Berbers of Libya, please visit:
http://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/Zwara.htm