The Battle of Misrata (Arabic: معركة مصراتة‎‎), also known as the Siege of Misrata, was a battle of the 2011 Libyan Civil War. It was fought between troops loyal to the government of Muammar Gaddafi, and anti-Gaddafi rebels who held Misrata, the third largest city in Libya. Following the initial stages of the uprising, the Libyan government took back most towns in the west of the country, leaving Misrata the only major city under rebel control in Tripolitania. The city soon became the site of one of the war's major battles. The suffering of Misrata's citizens gained worldwide attention. The intensity of fighting, and its importance both strategic and symbolic, earned the battle notice as 'Libya's Stalingrad'. During the siege, the city saw very heavy fighting, came under daily assaults and