Cyrenaican desert campaign The Cyrenaican desert campaign was a military campaign conducted by the Libyan military in the form of hit - and - run attacks against rebel - held towns and oil facilities in the eastern Libyan Desert that began in April 2011 , during the Libyan Civil War . The campaign failed in denying anti - Gaddafi forces control of southern Cyrenaica . Campaign . On 3 April , the security chief for the Kufra region , Saleh Muhammad al - Zaruq , declared his , and his troops , support for the rebels and broke off from the Gaddafi government , taking control of the area . On 4 April , loyalist forces blew up a crucial water pipeline near Jalu in an attempt to cut water supplies for rebel - held east Libya . However , during the process , they also inadvertently destroyed part of the pipeline system supplying west Libya as well as the east . On 6 April , the Gaddafi government stated that a NATO air - strike on the Sarir oil field left three oil facility security guards dead . However , the rebels , which were already in control of the oil field per some reports , claimed that it was not a NATO but a loyalist ground attack . On 21 April , a convoy of nine loyalist vehicles attacked the rebel - held al - Boster oil facility in the Libyan desert , about south west of Tobruk . Eight of the nine rebels that were stationed at the pumping station were killed in the attack while the ninth managed to escape while seriously wounded . On 28 April , loyalist forces entered the town of Kufra , also called Al Jawf , which is the capital of the Kufra District and re - took control of the town from the rebels . The opposition forces put up only light resistance and retreated almost immediately . After that , a convoy of government troops in 50 - 60 pick - up trucks drove into the city centre and raised the green flag in front of the town ' s court house . Three people were killed during the initial shelling of Kufra , according to the pro - rebel Brnieq newspaper website . On 30 April , government troops advanced further north to the town of Jalu , which is just south of the frontline town of Ajdabiya . The military convoy ran through the town opening fire and killing at least 10 people , at least five of them opposition fighters . Three pro - Gaddafi soldiers were killed during the fighting . The convoy than proceeded to the city ' s northern outskirts and divided into two groups , each positioning itself for the night at Jalu ' s two oil facilities . On 1 May , rebels claimed that NATO aircraft hit and destroyed 45 loyalist vehicles while the government military convoy was leaving Jalu . However , NATO made no mention of the convoy destruction during its daily operational update for 1 May , and no NATO or independent confirmation of the claim or the attack was established . On 6 May , loyalist forces attacked a rebel checkpoint between Jalu and Kufra , killing six rebel fighters . The next day , loyalists conducted a hit - and - run attack against Jalu and the smaller oasis town of Ojla . The rebels also claimed to have re - taken Kufra , but loyalist forces were still in the surrounding area . On 25 May , rebel forces attacked government troops near Kufra , destroying a weapons - laden vehicle . They claimed that the loyalist force was composed of Sudanese mercenaries . On 12 June , the last loyalist raid against rebel positions occurred when a force of government troops attacked the Mislah and Sarir oil fields . On 1 July , The Daily Telegraph reported that , mid - June , a Sudanese military force crossed the Libyan border and took control of Kufra and the nearby military base . They had also surrounded the oil fields , but did not appear to be disrupting efforts to resume oil production . Still , the oil fields had suffered extensive damage due to loyalist raids and time was needed to repair them . The fate of the rebel contingent in Kufra was unknown . Sudan later denied any military involvement in Libya . By 27 June , it was reported loyalist forces were still holding strategic points near Kufra . Aftermath . In July 2011 , National Liberation Army brigades out of Kufra reportedly seized control of much of Murzuq District in the Fezzan and threatened to march on Sabha .