15th Anniversary of the End of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's 42-Year Rule

Today marks the 15th anniversary of the fall and death of Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Ruling from 1969 to 2011, Gaddafi was a complex figure; he transformed Libya's economy and social welfare, yet his regime was marked by brutal authoritarianism, the suppression of dissent, and severe human rights abuses.

During the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, his government collapsed following protests and NATO-backed military intervention. Gaddafi was captured and killed by rebels in his hometown of Sirte. Since his death, Libya has failed to achieve the stability and democracy that many hoped for. The country remains fractured between competing administrations and armed militias, suffering from economic decline and the absence of a unified central government.