Awlad Busayf

The Awlad Busayf , also Awlad Abu Saif , are an Arab tribe in Libya .

They rely on the descent from a Sherif marabout and do not belong to any major tribal confederation. Their center is the city of Mesda on the edge of the Nafusa Mountains , but they also live in the south of Libya in the vicinity of Sabha . They are known for their fierce pursuit of independence. This led to numerous conflicts over land use rights with the surrounding tribes of Sintan , Mashashiya and Warfalla . Together with the Awlad Sulayman and the Magarha , who live in the south of the country , they fought against Italian colonial rule . Gaddafi declared their settlement area a strategically important zone for national defense in 1993.

After 2011, many displaced Mashashiyas found refuge in their Mesda center, which is why militias from Sintan and the Nafusa Mountains attacked the city in 2012 and 2013, killing a total of 120.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ John Oakes, Libya - Tribes and Tribulations , March 12, 2014
2. ^ Anthony Bell, David Witter: The Libyan Revolution , Part 1, Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Washington DC 2011, pp. 20, 36
3. ↑ BARRED FROM THEIR HOMES , Report, Amnesty International, London 2013, pp. 5-7, 17, 21, 33

Sources and web links

• David Blink, Glossary of Libyan Tribes ( Memento from December 20, 2014 in the Internet Archive )