The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 2018 to 2025 Africa
Terrorist group(s) Libya, in 8 editions.
The entry for Libya published Terrorist group(s) in 8 editions of 36, from 2018 to 2025. The text changed in 5 editions. Each is shown as published. Terrorist group(s) in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 5
- the first edition with it
- 2018
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Terrorist groups - home based” (2018 to 2019), “Terrorist groups - foreign based” (2018 to 2019) and “Terrorist group(s)” (2020 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Same as 2024Published as “Terrorist groups - home based”
- al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM):
- aim(s): overthrow various African regimes and replace them with one ruled by sharia; establish a regional Islamic caliphate across all of North and West Africa
- area(s) of operation:
- leadership headquartered in Algeria; operates in Tunisia and Libya
note: al-Qa'ida's affiliate in North Africa; Tunisia-based branch known as the Uqbah bin Nafi Battalion; Mali-based cadre merged with allies to form JNIM in March 2017, which pledged allegiance to AQIM and al-Qa'ida (April 2018)
- Ansar al-Sharia groups:
- aim(s): implement sharia in Libya
- area(s) of operation:
- in the east, mostly in Benghazi and Darnah
note: officially disbanded in June 2017, but fighters and local elements remain; operated as a member of the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council and Darnah Mujahidin Shura Council, a coalition of jihadist groups combating the Libyan House of Representatives-aligned forces (April 2018)
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)-Libya:
- aim(s): prevent the formation of a reunified Libyan state, secure control over the country's critical resources and, ultimately, establish an Islamic caliphate in Libya
- area(s) of operation:
- based in Libya since circa 2015, with its original headquarters in Sirte;
- no longer controls territory in Libya but does maintain a low-profile presence throughout much of the country (April 2018)
Published as “Terrorist groups - foreign based”
- al-Mulathamun Battalion:
- aim(s): replace several African governments, including Libya's transitional government, with an Islamic state
- area(s) of operation:
- maintains an operational presence; engages in kidnappings for ransom (November 2018)
al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM): aim(s): overthrow various African regimes and replace them with one ruled by sharia; establish a regional Islamic caliphate across all of North and West Africa
area(s) of operation: leadership headquartered in Algeria; operates in Tunisia and Libya
note: al-Qa'ida's affiliate in North Africa; Tunisia-based branch known as the Uqbah bin Nafi Battalion; Mali-based cadre merged with allies to form JNIM in March 2017, which pledged allegiance to AQIM and al-Qa'ida (April 2018)
Ansar al-Sharia groups: aim(s): implement sharia in Libya
area(s) of operation: in the east, mostly in Benghazi and Darnah
note: officially disbanded in June 2017, but fighters and local elements remain; operated as a member of the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council and Darnah Mujahidin Shura Council, a coalition of jihadist groups combating the Libyan House of Representatives-aligned forces (April 2018)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)-Libya: aim(s): prevent the formation of a reunified Libyan state, secure control over the country's critical resources and, ultimately, establish an Islamic caliphate in Libya
area(s) of operation: based in Libya since circa 2015, with its original headquarters in Sirte; no longer controls territory in Libya but does maintain a low-profile presence throughout much of the country (April 2018)
al-Mulathamun Battalion: aim(s): replace several African governments, including Libya's transitional government, with an Islamic state
area(s) of operation: maintains an operational presence; engages in kidnappings for ransom (November 2018)
Published as “Terrorist groups - home based”
- al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM):
- aim(s): overthrow various African regimes and replace them with one ruled by sharia; establish a regional Islamic caliphate across all of North and West Africa
- area(s) of operation:
- leadership headquartered in Algeria; operates in Tunisia and Libya (2018)
- Ansar al-Sharia groups:
- aim(s): implement sharia in Libya
- area(s) of operation:
- in the east, mostly in Benghazi and Darnah
note: officially disbanded in June 2017, but fighters and local elements remain; operated as a member of the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council and Darnah Mujahidin Shura Council, a coalition of jihadist groups combating the Libyan House of Representatives-aligned forces (2018)
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)-Libya:
- aim(s): prevent the formation of a reunified Libyan state, secure control over the country's critical resources and, ultimately, establish an Islamic caliphate in Libya
- area(s) of operation:
- based in Libya since circa 2015, with its original headquarters in Sirte;
- no longer controls territory in Libya but does maintain a low-profile presence throughout much of the country (2018)
Published as “Terrorist groups - foreign based”
- al-Mulathamun Battalion:
- aim(s): replace several African governments, including Libya's transitional government, with an Islamic state
- area(s) of operation:
- maintains an operational presence; engages in kidnappings for ransom (2018)
al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM): aim(s): overthrow various African regimes and replace them with one ruled by sharia; establish a regional Islamic caliphate across all of North and West Africa
area(s) of operation: leadership headquartered in Algeria; operates in Tunisia and Libya
note: al-Qa'ida's affiliate in North Africa; Tunisia-based branch known as the Uqbah bin Nafi Battalion; Mali-based cadre merged with allies to form JNIM in March 2017, which pledged allegiance to AQIM and al-Qa'ida (April 2018)
Ansar al-Sharia groups: aim(s): implement sharia in Libya
area(s) of operation: in the east, mostly in Benghazi and Darnah
note: officially disbanded in June 2017, but fighters and local elements remain; operated as a member of the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council and Darnah Mujahidin Shura Council, a coalition of jihadist groups combating the Libyan House of Representatives-aligned forces (April 2018) (2018)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)-Libya: aim(s): prevent the formation of a reunified Libyan state, secure control over the country's critical resources and, ultimately, establish an Islamic caliphate in Libya
area(s) of operation: based in Libya since circa 2015, with its original headquarters in Sirte; no longer controls territory in Libya but does maintain a low-profile presence throughout much of the country (April 2018) (2018)
al-Mulathamun Battalion: aim(s): replace several African governments, including Libya's transitional government, with an Islamic state
area(s) of operation: maintains an operational presence; engages in kidnappings for ransom (November 2018) (2018)
- Ansar al-Sharia groups;
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Libya;
- al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun);
- al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (2019)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Rewritten: too little of the 2019 text remains to mark the changes.
Ansar al-Sharia groups; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Libya; al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (2019)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
- Ansar al-Sharia groups;
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Libya;
- al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun);
- al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Ansar al-Sharia groups; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Libya; al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (2019)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
The same text in 2022 and 2023.
- Ansar al-Sharia groups;
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Libya (ISIS-L);
- al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun);
- al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Ansar al-Sharia groups; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Libya; - Libya (ISIS-L); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
The same text in 2024 and 2025.
- Ansar al-Sharia groups;
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Libya (ISIS-L);
- al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun);
- al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Ansar al-Sharia groups; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Libya (ISIS-L); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T the Terrorism reference guide
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Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Libya: Terrorist group(s).” The World Factbook, 2018–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/libya/terrorist-group-s.