Pro-Government Militias
Misratan Union of Revolutionaries (Misrata Brigades) (Libya)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 601 |
| Country: | Libya |
| Date formed: | Aug. 8, 2012 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | day |
| Details of Formation: | The Misrata Brigades formed as rebel group during 2011 fighting against Gaddafi. There is no evidence that they supported the NTC. The date formed refers to the date the GNC took over the government on 8 August 2012. The Misrata Brigades supported the GNC. |
| Date dissolved: | Aug. 4, 2014 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | The Misrata Brigades split in 2014 into those that vowed to defend the GNC against Haftar and those that decided to become passive, not wanting to get involved in a civil war. Because they were pro-GNC, and there is no evidence that they supported the House of Representatives (HoR) that succeeded the GNC after election, they are coded terminated when the HoR took over government on 4 August 2014. |
| Termination Type(s): | change in government |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | unclear |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | no information |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | no information |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | unemployed; adolescents; workers; students |
| Primary Membership: | no information |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Ghargour, Tripoli, Misrata |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, 40000] |
| Target(s): | unarmed political opposition, government critics; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; protect state, national or religious leader(s); intimidate political opposition |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The militia is an umbrella group. Their main rivals are the Zintan militias. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | Some Misrata Brigades have been assigned to provide security to government officials. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The Misrata Union of Revolutionaries opened fire and killed protesters in Tripoli. They were then expelled from the capital. The U.N.’s International Commission of Inquiry on Libya accuses the group of war crimes. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | killing |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: | The Misrata Brigades consist of 200-236 revolutionary brigades with approximately 40,000 members. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The Misrata Brigades seized weapons from Gaddafi’s forces during the 2011 uprising. It is equipped with more than 800 tanks, and has at least 2,000 vehicles mounted with machine guns and anti-aircraft weapons. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The Misrata Brigades backed the Islamists in Congress and forged an alliance with the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood after feeling disappointed by the Zaydan government. They strengthened their ties to the GNC. They have been a key part of the PGM Libya Shield Force in Tripoli until being expelled from the capital after shooting at protesters in late 2013. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.