Civil war timeline

February 15th-16th, 2011 The arrest of human rights activist Fethi Tarbel starts a riot in Benghazi.

February 15th-16th, 2011The arrest of human rights activist Fethi Tarbel starts a riot in Benghazi.

February 24thAnti-government militias take control of coastal city of Misurata after evicting forces loyal to Muammar Gadafy.

February 26thThe UN Security Council imposes sanctions on Gadafy and his family and refers the crackdown on rebels to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

February 28thEU governments approve sanctions against Gadafy and his closest advisers.

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March 5thThe rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) in Benghazi declares itself Libya's sole representative.

March 17thThe UN Security Council authorises a no-fly zone over Libya and military action to protect civilians against Gadafy's army.

March 19thThe first air strikes halt the advance of Gadafy's forces on Benghazi and target Libya's air defences.

April 30thNato missile attack on a house in Tripoli kills Gadafy's youngest son and three grandchildren, his government says.

June 27thThe ICC issues arrest warrants for Gadafy, his son Saif al-Islam and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi on charges of crimes against humanity.

August 21stRebels enter Tripoli with little resistance. Gadafy makes audio addresses over state television calling on Libyans to fight off the rebel "rats".

August 23rdThe rebels overrun Gadafy's fortified Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli.

August 29thGadafy's wife, his daughter Aisha and two of his sons enter Algeria.

September 1stLibya's interim rulers meet world leaders at a conference in Paris to discuss reshaping Libya. Gadafy, on the 42nd anniversary of his coming to power, urges his supporters to fight on.

September 8thInterim prime minister Mahmoud Jibril arrives in Tripoli on his first visit since it was taken by his forces.

September 11thLibya starts producing oil again.

September 13thInterim government chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil makes his first speech in Tripoli to a crowd of about 10,000.

September 15thFrance's Nicolas Sarkozy and Britain's David Cameron land in Libya to a hero's welcome.

September 16thThe UN Security Council eases sanctions on Libya. The General Assembly approves a request to accredit interim government envoys as Libya's sole representatives at the UN, effectively recognising the NTC.

September 20thUS president Barack Obama calls for the last of Gadafy's forces to surrender as he announces the return of the US ambassador to Tripoli. Gadafy taunts Nato in a speech broadcast by Syrian-based Arrai TV station.

September 21stThe interim rulers say they have captured most of Sabha, one of three main towns where Gadafy loyalists have been holding out since the fall of Tripoli. His birthplace Sirte and the town of Bani Walid continue to resist.

September 27thNato says Libya's interim rulers have taken full control of the country's stockpile of chemical weapons and nuclear material.

October 12thGovernment fighters capture Gadafy's son Mo'tassim after he tried to escape from Sirte.

October 13thNTC forces say they have control of the whole of Sirte except neighbourhood "Number Two" where Gadafy forces are surrounded.

October 14thGunfights break out in Tripoli between Gadafy supporters and NTC forces, the first sign of armed resistance to the new government.

October 17thNTC forces celebrate the capture of Bani Walid, one of the final bastions of Gadafy loyalists. Syrian television confirms Gadafy's son Khamis died in fighting southeast of Tripoli on August 29th.

October 18thUS secretary of state Hilary Clinton arrives in Libya on an unannounced visit and urges militias to unite.

October 20thNTC fighters capture Sirte, Gadafy's home town, ending a two- month siege and extinguishing the last significant hold-out of troops loyal to him. – (Reuters)