Qadhafi's Tribal Woes

Libyan national hero 'Umar al-Mukhtar heavily recruited the tribe during fighting against Italian occupation forces in the 1920-30s and served as the tribe's religious leader during lulls in battle. Shaykly families: Suwaykir, Ilwani.

Second in size in the Cyrenaica region only to the 'Ubaydat, this heterogeneous and structurally confused tribe is centered around Banghazi. Shaykly families: Abbar, Kizzah.

Strictly classed as a Cyrenaican Sa'adi, almost all of Libya's oil wells and terminals are located within their tribal domain. With its Jibarna cousins, the Magharba reportedly pushed the former occupants of Cyrenaica's Barqa area westward into Tripolitania. Plays host to the Zuwaya tribe.

It is centered on the town of al-Marj. Shaykhly family: 'Asbali.

Enjoys high stature in Cyrenaica. The smallest tribe in the region, its lands have in the past been expropriated by its Harabi brothers, the 'Ubaydat and the Hasa.

Fourth largest in the region, its lands are more densely populated than most. In the past, the tribe lacked a sense of cohesiveness probably due to poor communications related to the broken terrain it inhabits. Shaykly family: Umar Bu Ruqaia.

Small and cohesive, its reputation is tainted by its collaboration with Italian occupation authorities. Shaykly family: Bu Khatara Bu Halaiqa.

Largest tribe in Cyrenaica in terms of territory and numbers, it tends to behave as several tribes given its geographic diversity. Tough and bellicose, with help from its Harabi grouping cohorts it pushed the Awlad 'Ali into Egypt's western desert during the 18th century. Today it occupies most of Cyrenaica's eastern Marmarica region. Shaykly family: 'Abdallah.

The tribe is accepted as the preeminent tribe of Cyrenaica's Sa'adi confederation of tribes. Its members held most high administrative posts under the former monarchy. Centered on the religiously significant town of Bayda. Shaykly family: Bu Bakr Bu Haddith.

Client tribe regarded as Marabut, it refuses the overlordship of its host, the Magharba. The tribe ranges among the oases of Ajdabiya eastward to Jalu and as far south as Tazarbu and al-Kufra. The Zuwaya traditionally competed with the Mujabra for control of Cyrenaica's caravan trade, and its lineages include several black descent groups.

Product of the caravan trade that depended upon the oases of eastern Libya, tribal fragments today are found in Ajdabiya, Awjilah, Jalu, and al-Kufrah. Contemporary rival of the Zuwaya, which in the past competed with the Mujabra for control of the trade.

Marabut client of the Ubaydat, it gained fame resisting the Italian occupation of the 1920-30s under Libyan national hero Umar al-Mukhtar.

Marabut of western Cyrenaica. Relatively large tribe and ill-disposed toward centralized authority, refusing overlordship of host tribes.

A strongly revered Marabut member of the grouping, with other tribes that now range the western Sirtica littoral, it was pushed into the area after suffering two defeats against the Jibarna grouping for control of Cyrenaica's western Barqa region (the last war fought in about 1832).

Grouping of ten predominantly Marabut tribes.

Located east of Surt, it reportedly was defeated alongside Farjan compatriots in early 19th century battles for control of western Cyrenaica against Jibarna-affiliated tribes.

Loosely organized but territorially defined group of Tripolitanian tribes, it is the largest component of the Bani Nasir group and includes the large Mirada tribe and some Marabut elements.

Group of ten tribes, some of its members migrated to Cyrenaica and now more closely associate with the region's Urfa tribe.

Large tribe located near Hums in the Tripolitania region.

Jabal Nefusa-based group of twelve Arab-origin tribes. Centered on the town of Haraba.

Group of about fifteen tribes, located in the Tripolitanian region.

Group of eight historically sedentary tribes located near Surman.

Coalition of two tribal groups, numbering about ten tribes, located in the Jabal Nefusa.

Forced from the southwestern Fezzan region by the migrating Awlad Sulayman during the 18th century, the tribe is today distributed to the north of Sabha. It is reportedly the largest tribe in southwestern Libya and leads other tribes under the Magarha grouping banner in quarrels with foes. The tribe is composed of distinct Arab and Imazighen subtribes, which each supply representatives to attend intratribal events. Qirah is the tribe's primary settlement.

Small but powerful camel-herding tribe, served traditionally as the leading member of the Saff Awlad Sulayman grouping and standard bearer of the Saff Awlad Sulayman confederation. Centered on the Hun-Waddan oasis. Shaykly family: Sayf al-Nasr.

Tribe of the Fezzan region residing in the Wadi al-Shati area. It formerly plyed the caravan trade linking Fezzan's trade capitol of Marzuq with Tripoli and Tunis. Member of the Aruba group, loyal to the Awlad Sulayman confederation's Awlad Sulayman grouping.

Predominantly Arab tribe of the Saff Awlad Sulayman confederation's Awlad Sulayman grouping.

True nomads of the Fezzan region, the tribe has traditionally aligned itself with the Saff Awlad Sulayman confederation in regional conflicts. Under the banner of the Aruba, however, some fragments are loyal to the Magarha grouping of the Saff al-Bahar confederation to which they may be more closely related.

Tribe of Arab descent that eschews intermarriage with other, non-Arab, groups. Located northwest of the central Hun-Waddan oases region.

Group of thirteen tribes.

Group of eighteen tribes, including the Qamata, located near Gharyan.

Group of ten tribes located in the central Jabal Nefusa area that commands the loyalty of an additional four local tribes.

Centered on the town of Kabaw, this six-member tribal group commands the loyalty of two other tribes in tripolitania's Jabal Nefusa region.

Borders Tunisia's southern desert.

Centered on the town of Ruhaybat, this large tribal group is composed of two primary subgroups containing about fifteen tribes in all.

Marabut tribe of Tripolitania.

Owing allegiance to the Saff al-Fawqi grouping of tribes, it is the numerically largest and potentially most powerful tribe of the Saff Awlad Sulayman confederation. Controls several important wadis, or seasonal riverbeds, in the central Surt basin. Composed of three large subtribes: the Wadtiyun, Watiyun, and Fawqiyun. Centered on Bani Walid.

Collective name for smaller tribes of the Wadi al-Shati area of the Fezzan region. Includes the Zuwa'id, Qa'ida, and Hutman tribes as well as fragments of the Hasawna and Magarha. A majority of its members are loyal to the Awlad Sulayman grouping of the Awlad Sulayman confederation.

A prominent Sharifian Marabut, the tribe joined with the Awlad Sulayman and Magarha tribes in fighting Italian forces earlier this century. Recurrent land disputes with the neighboring Mashashiya, Warfalla, and Zintan mark the fiercely independent tribe's history. Centered on the town of Mizda.

Group of sixteen tribes that divides its loyalty between the Mahamid al-Sharqiyin grouping of the Saff al-Bahar confederation and the Mahamid al-Gharbiyin grouping of the Saff Awlad Sulayman confederation. Located near Gharyan in the foothills of the central Jabal Nefusa area.

Marabut tribe historically opposed to the Awlad Abu Sayf. In the past the two tribes regularly battled for control of lands south of the Jabal Nefusa.

A group of twenty seven tribes that divides its loyalty between the Saff al-Bahar confederation under the Mahamid al-Sharqiyin grouping and the Saff Awlad Sulayman confederation under the grouping of the Mahamid al-Gharbiyin. Located near Gharyan.

Makes unchallenged claim to Sharifian nobility, centered on the Hun-Waddan Oasis.

The loyalty of its six subtribes is divided between the Mahamid al-Gharbiyin grouping of the Saff Awlad Sulayman confederation and the Saff al-Bahar confederation's Mahamid al-Sharqiyin grouping.

Probably takes its name from its war cry "ya Zina," it is an important warrior tribe famed for its esprit de corps. The tribe is on good terms with the neighboring Warfalla and has at times tactically aligned with the Saff Awlad Sulayman confederation's Awlad Sulayman grouping in regional disputes, but traditionally is loyal to the Saff al-Bahar confederation under the Mahamid al-Sharqiyin grouping. It is comprised of two distinct Imazighen and Arab subtribes, each providing a shaykh for the tribe's leadership. A neutral religious leader is normally chosen to mediate internal quarrels. Centered on the town of Zintan.

From the Turkish meaning "son of a slave," they are the offspring of the Ottoman empire's Janissary rulers and indigenous population. Under Turkish rule, the Kologhli provided the bulk of the government's administrative and defense personnel. Concentrations of Kologhli are today found in larger urban centers, including Tripoli, Misurata, Zlitin, and Zawiyah.

Caucasians who dominated North Africa until the end of the first millennium A.D. Libya's Amazigh—or berber—population largely absorbed the Arab invaders of the sixth century, the Bani Hillal, but retreated to safer ground to survive the Arab onslaught of the Bani Sulaym, the eleventh century conquerors of North Africa. Today Amazigh enclaves are found in the Jabal Nefusa area of the Tripolitania region and among the oases of the Cyrenaica and Fezzan regions. Although they have largely adopted the Muslim faith and maintain Arab customs, many Amazigh communities continue to follow the Ibadite sect of Islam—considered heretic among mainstream Sunni Muslims—and speak native dialects. They are closely related to the nomadic Tuareg of the southwestern Fezzan region. Plural Imazighen.

From the Arabic Marabath, devoted to God, a tribe claiming descent from a holyman. Many such holymen historically traveled from the Maghreb countries of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia and settled among Libya's tribes when returning from Saudi Arabia after performing the Hajj, to include the founder of Libya's Sanussi order, Muhammad Bin Ali As-Sanusi. Their heirs are respected by other tribes as religiously significant and are trusted by neighbors as an impartial third party to mediate tribal disputes. Plural Marabitun.

Tribes revered for their ability to trace their descent directly to the Prophet (PBUH) via Fatima, the Prophet's daughter, and 'Ali, the fourth Caliph. Plural Sharifian.