aw ia ▁was ▁a ▁battle ▁in ▁the ▁Lib yan ▁Civil ▁War ▁between ▁re bel ▁anti - G add af i ▁forces ▁and ▁forces ▁loyal ▁to ▁Mu am mar ▁G add af i ▁for ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Tri pol itan ian ▁city ▁of ▁Z aw ia . ▁ ▁Background ▁▁ ▁Z aw i ya ▁rose ▁against ▁G add af i ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁February , ▁and ▁formed ▁an ▁important ▁strateg ic ▁obst acle ▁to ▁loyal ists . ▁Str ong ▁loyal ist ▁efforts ▁were ▁made ▁to ▁recover ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁after ▁with standing ▁two ▁to ▁three ▁weeks ▁of ▁assault ▁by ▁two ▁mechan ized ▁brig ades ▁( the ▁K ham is ▁and ▁H os ban ), ▁the ▁city ▁fell ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁March . ▁This ▁victory ▁allowed ▁loyal ist ▁forces ▁to ▁recon quer ▁other ▁re bel - h eld ▁cities ▁on ▁the ▁western ▁Tri pol itan ian ▁coast , ▁including ▁Z uw ara . ▁ ▁Reb el ▁forces ▁made ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁reg ain ▁the ▁city ▁in ▁mid - J une , ▁but ▁this ▁attempt ▁was ▁un success ful . ▁ ▁Hold ing ▁Z aw i ya ▁was ▁a ▁priority ▁for ▁the ▁pro - G add af i ▁forces , ▁as ▁the ▁city ▁lies ▁on ▁their ▁coast al ▁supply ▁route ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁vital ▁control ▁city ▁on ▁the ▁route ▁from ▁Tri pol i ▁to ▁Tun is ia . ▁It ▁also ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁an ▁important ▁oil ▁ref in ery , ▁the ▁only ▁one ▁in ▁loyal ist ▁hands ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁battle . ▁