Much of their operational strength was concentrated in the eastern region of Cyrenaica , particularly around Benghazi. Relationship with Al-Qaeda
Following the September 11 attacks, the LIFG was designated as a terrorist organization and sanctioned by the UN 1267 Committee as an affiliate of al-Qaeda. al-jama'a al-islamiyyah al-muqatilah bi-libya
The group was officially established in by Libyan veterans who had previously fought against Soviet forces in Afghanistan. Led by figures such as Abdelhakim Belhadj , the LIFG aimed to replace Gaddafi’s government with an Islamist state. Much of their operational strength was concentrated in