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Battle of Bir Tabraz

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Italian battle in Libya, year 1911
Battle of Bir Tabraz
Part of Italo-Turkish War
Date19 December 1911
Locationnear Tripoli, Libya
Result Senussi victory
Belligerents
 Kingdom of Italy Senussi
Commanders and leaders
Kingdom of Italy Gustavo Fara Unknown
Strength
1,500 men
or
2,780 men		 200–300 men
Casualties and losses
150 killed
250 wounded
or
11 killed
91 wounded		 11 killed
40 wounded

The Battle of Bir Tabraz was fought in December 1911 during the Italo-Turkish War between the Kingdom of Italy and Senussi forces in a place near Tripoli in modern Libya, the Senussi successfully forced to Italians to withdraw.

Battle

Bir Tabraz was one of the most important positions the Senussi had near Tripoli after the Battle of Ain Zara happened on December 4. Bir Tabraz's position was garrisoned by 200-300, according to Italian reports; this alarmed the Italians alongside other Senussi gathering positions, which harassed the Italian forces resisting them. An expedition was launched led by General Fara with a force of 2,780 or 1,500 men at 2-2:30 a.m. on December 19 and didn't reach that position until 9:00 a.m. after a long floundering on the way.

It wasn't until they marched to meet the Senussi that they were attacked by them, and according to Italian reports, the Senussis focused on the right and left wings of the army. Though the Senussi forces weren't equivalent to the Italians, they went from a defensive to an aggressive stance and almost cut off the escape route of the Italians and communication lines to Ain Zara, which forced the Italians to avoid a battle with unwanted results.

The Italians attempted to march to some heights, but the Senussi prevented them and forced them to engage and attack from all sides. This situation made it impossible for the enemy to retreat back to Ain Zara due to the success of the Senussi. Panic struck the camp, fearing they would lose their supplies and their retreat route. The Italians, however, managed to retreat during the night. However, they kept facing the Senussi, which forced them to ask for reinforcements to cover their retreat which did not arrive.

The Italians retreated at 7:25 a.m. the next day, the battle had lasted for the entire day. The Italians lost around 150 killed and 250 wounded or 11 killed and 91 wounded, while the Senussi lost 11 deaths and 40 wounded.

See also

References

  1. Charles Stephenson, A Box of Sand The Italo-Ottoman War 1911-1912, p. 125
  2. Kalifa Tillisi, A Dictionary for Italian Colonial Battles on the Libyan Soil 1911–31, 1972. p. 158
  3. Charles Stephenson, p. 125
  4. Muḥammad Imḥammad Ṭuwayr, The history of liberation movements from colonialism in the world during the modern era: in the Arab world-Africa-Asia-Europe and the Americas, p. 49
  5. Kalifa Tillisi, p. 158
  6. Charles Stephenson, p. 125
  7. Charles Stephenson, p. 125
  8. Kalifa Tillisi, p. 158
  9. Kalifa Tillisi, p. 158
  10. Charles Stephenson, p. 126
  11. Kalifa Tillisi, p. 158-9
  12. Charles Stephenson, p. 126
  13. Kalifa Tillisi, p. 159
  14. Mustafa Hamed Rahoma, Arab-Islamic solidarity with the Libyan resistance against the Italian invasion - 1911-1931 AD, p. 147
  15. Muḥammad Imḥammad Ṭuwayr, p. 49
  16. Charles Stephenson, p. 126
  17. Mustafa Hamed Rahoma, p. 147
  18. Muḥammad Imḥammad Ṭuwayr, p. 49
  19. Charles Stephenson, p. 127
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