ically ▁non - ex istent ▁until ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁French ▁troops ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁▁ ▁After ▁the ▁en larg ement ▁of ▁Italian ▁Lib ya ▁with ▁the ▁A ou z ou ▁St rip , ▁F asc ist ▁Italy ▁aim ed ▁at ▁further ▁extension ▁to ▁the ▁south . ▁Indeed ▁Italian ▁plans , ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁a ▁war ▁against ▁France ▁and ▁Great ▁Britain , ▁ ▁project ed ▁the ▁extension ▁of ▁Lib ya ▁as ▁far ▁south ▁as ▁Lake ▁Ch ad ▁and ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁broad ▁land ▁bridge ▁between ▁Lib ya ▁and ▁Italian ▁East ▁Africa . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁there ▁was ▁strong ▁support ▁for ▁Italy ▁from ▁many ▁Muslim ▁Lib y ans , ▁who ▁en rolled ▁in ▁the ▁Italian ▁Army . ▁Other ▁Lib yan ▁troops ▁( the ▁Sav ari ▁[ c aval ry ▁reg iments ] ▁and ▁the ▁Sp ah i ▁or ▁mounted ▁police ) ▁had ▁been ▁fighting ▁for ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Italy ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁major ▁batt les ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁Lib ya ▁during ▁the ▁North ▁African ▁Camp aign ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁the ▁Italian ▁invasion ▁of ▁Egypt ▁was ▁launched ▁from ▁Lib ya . ▁ ▁Starting ▁in ▁December ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁British ▁E ighth ▁Army ▁launched ▁a ▁counter att ack ▁called ▁Operation ▁Com pass ▁and ▁the ▁Italian ▁forces ▁were ▁pushed ▁back ▁into ▁Lib ya . ▁ ▁After ▁losing ▁all ▁of ▁Cy ren a ica ▁and ▁almost