The Origins and Evolution of ISIS in Libya
Appendix A: Key Groups and People Name of group or individual
Abbr. 166
ASMB
ARSC
Description
166 Brigade
A powerful militia from Misrata that fought with Libya Dawn. In mid-2015 tried to drive ISIS out of Sirte but failed.
Abdel Fatteh Younis
He was Qaddafi’s Interior minister and a senior military officer. He defected in the early days of the 2011 uprisings and was appointed as the NTC’s commander-in-chief. He was killed on July 28, 2011. His killing led to the fracturing of the Islamist and non-Islamist wings of the anti-Qaddafi resistance and a unified military command has never existed since.
Abdelkader al-Najdi
A Saudi national who served as emir in charge of administrating ISIS’s Libyan wilayat.
Abdul Hakim Belhadj
A Libyan “Afghan Arab” who was imprisoned by the Qaddafi regime for many years. He led the Umar al-Mukhtar brigade during the 2011 uprisings and later headed the Tripoli Military Council.
Abdul-Raziq al-Nazhuri
Field Marshall Haftar’s chief of staff, number two in the LNA, and military governor of much of Eastern Libya.
Abdurrahman Swehli
A Misratan politician who is the president of the High Council of State and grandson of the famous anti-Italian civic leader Ramadan al-Swehli.
Abu Abdullah al-Libi
The spiritual leader of Ansar al-Sharia who swore allegiance to ISIS in March 2015.
Abu Ali al-Anbari (aka Abu Ala al-Afri)
Al-Baghdadi’s second-in-command and governor of ISIS territories in Syria.
Abu Amr al-Jazrawi
A Saudi national and ISIS commander with close ties to al-Baghdadi. He held many roles of responsibility within Sirte.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
The notorious leader of core ISIS.
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
A Jordanian national who founded al-Qaeda in Iraq, and is credited by some as the founder of ISIS.
Abu Salim Martyrs Brigade
An Islamist militia in Derna formed by former LIFG fighters and Islamists detained in the Abu Salim prison under Qaddafi. It is led by Salim Darbi and is part of the DMSC.
Abu Sufian bin Qumu
A Libyan national who is a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner and became the leader of Derna’s Ansar al-Sharia branch.
Abu Ubaida ibn al-Jarrah Brigade
Islamist militia accused of killing Abdel Fatteh Younis.
Agilah Saleh
President of the House of Representatives.
Ajdabiya Revolutionaries’ Shura Council
A coalition of Islamist and jihadist militias in Ajdabiya formed to oppose Haftar and the LNA.
ATLANTIC COUNCIL
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