Libya: Five years after Muammar Gaddafi

Five years after an uprising that killed Libya’s long time ruler Muammar Gaddafi, the country is still in turmoil.

In Tripoli, residents are frustrated that their country is still mired in violence and a political deadlock, years after the fall of Gaddafi who ruled the country for 42 years.

“We are in a period that is much worse than the last, and Libya is threatened with extinction,” said one resident.

The government of national accord backed by the international community continues to face the challenge of the Islamic State, drug trafficking and migrants in the fragmented oil-rich country.

It also continues to struggle to assert its authority nationwide since arriving in Tripoli in March.

“After the previous regime fell, we hoped that with the will of God, things would be better because we expect a lot from our country. We hope that those who love their country will unite for reconciliation, to create national reconciliation. It’s the only way for the country to be built, God willing,” said another resident.

The Libyan crisis was caused by the fall of Muammar Gaddafi during the Arab Spring, allowing ISIL to gain a foothold in the eastern town of Sirte.