Libyans have celebrated the 6th anniversary of their revolution which led to the fall of former longtime dictator, Muammar Gaddafi.
They took to the streets of the country’s capital, Tripoli, and other major cities on Friday to mark the sixth anniversary of the 2011 uprising, which saw the overthrow and death of their ruler.
Thousands gathered in the capital's Martyrs' Square, waving Libyan flags and chanting slogans as a tribute to the revolution, with security forces deployed to ensure that the commemoration was trouble-free.
Similar rallies were also held in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi and Misrata in the west.
On February 17, 2011, people across the North African country took to the streets, calling for freedom and democracy. The uprising was marred by violence after NATO intervention in March and bloody clashes between pro- and anti-Gaddafi forces.
The former dictator was ousted from power in August that year and killed two months later.
Libya has been struggling with instability since 2011, with two rival governments ruling in different parts of the country. The country's executive and legislative branches have also been paralyzed by fierce rivalries between political movements, ideologies and tribes.
In addition to political rivalries, the rise of extremism and the presence of terrorist groups in the oil-rich country have also culminated in the deterioration of living conditions, including power cuts, exorbitant prices and security issues.
