Protests ver five years years ago in Zawiya sparked a two year battle waged by rebels against the government of Muammar Gadhafi, to which he allegedly responded with airstrikes. At this point the U.N. and NATO slapped on sanctions and prepared to invade.
A U.S.-U.K.-French joint military force began bombing Libya in March 2011. As many as 25,000 people were killed that year, including Gadhafi who died on Oct. 20, 2011. An additional 400,000 were displaced. Libyans are now stuck in the middle of violent fights between rival militias, the rise of the Islamic State group, and the recent Egyptian airstrikes.
teleSUR takes a look at illustrative photos of the proceedings, and how lives of Libyans were affected by conflict before and after.