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Khamis Brigade

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32nd Reinforced Brigade of the Armed People
Active2003 – present
Country Libya
AllegianceMilitary of Libya
BranchSpecial forces
TypeMechanized infantry
RoleHeavy Mechanized
Size10,000[1]
Nickname(s)Khamis Brigade
Engagements2011 Libyan civil war
Commanders
Current
commander		Khamis Gaddafi

The Khamis Brigade, formally the 32nd Reinforced Brigade of the Armed People[2], is a special forces brigade of the Libyan military loyal to Muammar Gaddafi,[3] the de-facto leader of Libya since 1969. Commanded by Gaddafi's youngest son, Khamis Gaddafi, the 32nd Brigade was called "the most well-trained and well-equipped force in the Libyan military" and "the most important military and security elements of the regime" in leaked U.S. memos.

Role in 2011 uprising and civil war

The Khamis Brigade was described as the most elite of three "regime protection units" which together comprise 10,000 men. According to U.S. and European officials, these units are the only forces directly loyal to Gaddafi, whereas regular army units made up of conscripts were subject to widespread desertion.[4] It engaged anti-government forces[3] and was reported by eyewitnesses to be moving into Bengazi, Beyida and several other cities that were centres of anti-government protests on February 19, 2011 in the company of militias, possibly including foreign mercenaries.[5][6] Al Arabiya, citing sources in Bengazi, reported that Khamis Gaddafi had recruited French-speaking mercenaries from sub-Saharan Africa.[7]

On February 24, armored units commanded by Khamis Gaddafi were reported to be moving toward Misrata, Libya's third-largest city and a major port, said to be in the hands of rebels with heavy weapons.[8] Meanwhile, multi-national mercenaries commanded by the group killed scores and injured dozens in Zawiya, a city symbolic for its resistance to Italian colonization. Local witnesses and speeches by Gaddafi described a chaotic situation with people in civilian clothes fighting one another in the streets. According to former justice minister Mustafa Abdul Jalil, Khamis Gaddafi and two of his brothers were stationed in security centers to the east, west, and south of Tripoli.[9]

The Aruba School in the rebel held coastal town of Shehat became the prison for almost 200 suspected mercenaries of the Gaddafi regime from countries such as Niger and Chad.[10] They were reported to be part of Libya's "Khamees' battalion".[10]

On February 27, residents reported heavy fighting around the Khamis Brigade's headquarters complex in Misrata. An air force school within the complex had been besieged by protesters with light weapons. Despite possessing heavier weaponry, those within had run out of food and water, and a commander surrendered himself for trial.[11] Another report stated that officers at the air force school had mutinied and the adjacent air force base had been overwhelmed.[12]

On April 18, the headquarters of the Khamis Brigade near Tripoli was bombed and destroyed by NATO planes that took part in the 2011 military intervention in Libya.[13] According to NATO sources, the headquarters had been used to coordinate and lead attacks on civilians.[14]

On 21 August, the Khamis Brigade headquarters 16 miles (26 km) west of Tripoli was overrun by rebel forces as they made a major push towards the capital, allowing rebels to capture large stores of weapons.[15]

On 21 August 2011, the Khamis Brigade were reported to have killed 17 prisoners in a makeshift prison near Gragur in Tripoli.[16] On 23 August 2011, the Khamis Brigade killed around 50 prisoners in a Tripoli warehouse and then set fire to the warehouse.[17]

On 9 September, the NTC health minister said that the Khamis Brigade had lost around 9,000 soldiers during the war.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Coalition Watching Qaddafi Son's Elite Unit, U.S. Commander Saysl". 2011-03-23.
  2. ^ Hamilton, John (23 Feb 2011). "Libya protests: The tangled web keeping Gaddafi in power". The Daily Telegraph.
  3. ^ a b "Pressure mounts on Libya's Gaddafi". aljazeera.net. 26 Feb 2011.
  4. ^ Mark Hosenball (2011-02-24). "Son's unit may be one of Gaddafi's last lines of defense". {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help); Text "http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/25/us-libya-commandos-idUSTRE71N8GT20110225" ignored (help)
  5. ^ Maggie Michael. "Libyan forces storm protest camp in Benghazi". Associated Press/News Observer.
  6. ^ "Khamis Ghaddafi: The agent of fear". Afrol News. 2011-02-23.
  7. ^ "Khamis Gaddafi Recruits Mercenaries to Shoot Protestors". International Business Times. 2011-02-11.
  8. ^ Ian Black (2011-02-24). "Heavy fighting in former stronghold as Gaddafi's forces stage counterattacks". Guardian.
  9. ^ Duraid Al Baik (2011-02-25). "Gaddafi hiding in Azizyeh". Gulf News.
  10. ^ a b "Libya's Alleged Foreign Mercenaries: More Gaddafi Victims? - The Middle East in Revolt - TIME". time.com. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
  11. ^ "Gadhafi tightens hold on capital; Obama calls for ouster". McClatchy. 2011-02-26.
  12. ^ "Libya: Gaddafi Forces 'Open Fire' In Tripoli". Sky News. 2011-02-25.
  13. ^ NATO (2011). Operational Media Update for 18 April. Accessed 20 April 2011.
  14. ^ Eurasia Review (19 April 2011). Libya: NATO Jets Bomb Capital. Accessed 20 April 2011.
  15. ^ "Libyan Rebels Reportedly Capture Major Military Base Defending Tripoli". Fox News. 21 August 2011.
  16. ^ Muhkerjee, Sangeeta Khamis Brigade Turns Manslaughters, Kills 50 Detainees International Business Times, 29 August 2011, Retrieved 29 August 2011
  17. ^ Spencer, Richard Libya: last act of bloody vengeance by Khamis Brigade The Telegraph, 29 August 2011, Retreieved 29 August 2011
  18. ^ http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/09/08/2395937/libyan-estimate-at-least-30000.html
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