Anti-government protests in Libya have become a full-blown revolution to end the four-decade rule of Muammar Gaddafi. Though the protesters initially faced the ire of only pro-regime militias, the government swung into action later on to suppress the rebellion, leading to the death of hundreds of people.
When Gaddafi dug in his feet to reprise the revolt he employed armed forces to retake control of several key cities with oil installations, which led to a civil war-like situation in which people became aliens in their own land.
Thousands began to leave their besieged cities and flee to safety in the neighboring Tunisia, creating a humanitarian crisis.
Here are some vignettes of pitched battles raging in Libya as well as visuals of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the North African country:
An Egyptian man fleeing the unrest in Libya receives help from his compatriots after he fainted as they wait at the Libyan and Tunisian border crossing of Ras Jdir March 1, 2011. Tens of thousands of people have fled Libya to the neighboring Tunisia, according to the UN Human Rights Agency. "We can see acres of people waiting to cross the border. Many have been waiting for three to four days in the freezing cold, with no shelter or food.": Ayman Gharaibeh, head of the UNHCR emergency response team at the border.REUTERSA girl reacts as she looks at the body of her father Ahmed Sati during his funeral in Benghazi March 1, 2011. Sati, a 50-year-old Libyan man, died from a gunshot wound to his head on February 20 during clashes between protesters and forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, according to the local hospital.REUTERSAn anti-government protester gestures near a hanging effigy of Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi in the centre of the city of Zawiyah, 50 km (30 miles) west of the capital Tripoli, March 1, 2011.
REUTERSA Tunisian anti-terrorism soldier throws water to Egyptian fleeing the unrest in Libya, as they wait at the Libyan and Tunisian border crossing of Ras Jdir March 1, 2011.REUTERSWomen chant slogans of support for Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi in Sabratha, 75 km (46.6 miles) west of Tripoli February 28, 2011.REUTERSRussian great-great-great-grandmother Anastasia Khoreva lived to be 105 years old, but she decided to cut her life short rather than wait to die.
REUTERSPeople wait to collect their 500 Libyan dinars ($400) cash handouts from the government at a bank in Tripoli February 28, 2011. Libya's government, clinging to power after a popular revolt, has ordered massive cash handouts including wage increases, food subsidies and allowances, state television reported on Friday. Each family will receive 500 Libyan dinars ($400) to help cover increased food costs, and wages for some categories of public sector workers would increase by 150 percent, according to the station.REUTERSTunisian army soldiers help Egyptians cross a gate at the Libyan and Tunisian border crossing of Ras Jdir as they flee unrest in Libya March 1, 2011. REUTERSA man shows unknown bodies of people killed in the recent clashes between protesters and forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in a hospital in Benghazi March 1, 2011.REUTERSAn Egyptian man who fled the unrest in Libya talks on a phone provided by Telecom sans Frontiere (TSF) at a refugee camp near the Libyan and Tunisian border crossing of Ras Jdir March 1, 2011.REUTERS
