Libyan Special Forces
The Libyan Special Forces (LSF) (Arabic: القوات الخاصة الليبية), also known as the Al-Saiqa or Saiqa Special Forces and simply Saiqa or Al-Saiqa (Arabic: الصاعقة; English: lightning, thunderbolt), are an elite Libyan National Army unit formed from a mixture of paratroopers, paramilitary forces and commandos. (They should not be confused with the similarly named Lightning Bolt Brigade (Sawaiq Brigade) which is part of the Zintan Brigades.) Prominent LSF commander Mahmoud al-Werfalli was indicted in 2017 and 2018 by the International Criminal Court for the war crime of murdering and ordering the murders of non-combatants, and was assassinated in 2021.
| Libyan Special Forces | |
|---|---|
Official emblem of Libyan Special Forces | |
| Founder | Abdel Fatah Younis |
| Commanders | Wanis Bukhamada (until 2020) Abdul Salam Al-Hassi (since 2020) |
| Dates of operation | 1970 – present |
| Headquarters | Benghazi |
| Active regions | Benghazi |
| Size | Up to 5,000 soldiers |
| Part of | Libyan National Army |
| Allies | Libyan National Army |
| Opponents | Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries Ansar al-Sharia Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant |
| Battles and wars | Libyan Civil War (2011) 2013 Benghazi conflict Libyan Civil War (2014–present) |
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