2016 in Libya

Incumbents

• President of the House of Representatives : Aguila Saleh Issa
• Prime Minister : Abdullah al-Thani
• Chairman of the Presidential Council and Prime Minister : '''Fayez al-Sarraj'''

Events

January

• 4 January – The Islamic State seized control of Bin Jawad before militants in twelve vehicles attacked the city of Sidra, killing two Petroleum Facilities Guard militants in a suicide bomb attack at a checkpoint.
• 7 January – At least 65 people were killed when a truck bomb hit a police training center in the Libyan town of Zliten.

March

• 12 March – Fayez al-Sarraj and members of the UN-backed Presidential Council arrived in Tripoli by sea to establish the Government of National Accord, despite opposition from rival factions.

May–December: Battle of Sirte

• 12 May – Forces loyal to the GNA launched an offensive against the Islamic State in Sirte.
• 1 August – The United States launched airstrikes in support of GNA forces fighting Islamic State in Sirte.
• 6 December – The Libyan Prime Minister announced that Sirte had been liberated from Islamic State after months of fighting.

September

• 11 September – General Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army seized control of key oil ports in the Oil Crescent, including Ras Lanuf, Es Sider, Zueitina, and Brega.

December

• 23 December – Afriqiyah Airways Flight 209 was hijacked en route from Sebha to Tripoli and diverted to Malta. The hijackers surrendered after all passengers were released unharmed.

Deaths

• Mohammed Najm, military officer and political figure
• Mokhtar Belmokhtar, Algerian jihadist and militant leader, reported killed in U.S. airstrikes in Libya in June.
• Abdel Rahman al-Qarawi, senior IS commander in Sirte, killed during fighting.