Derna Protection Force

The Derna Protection Force (DPF; Arabic: قوة حماية درنة),^[6] also known as the Derna Security Force,^[2] was a Libyan militia formed by Ateyah Al-Shaari on 11 May 2018, during the Libyan National Army (LNA) assault on Derna.^[2]

Derna Protection Force
قوة حماية درنة
Leader	Ateyah Al-Shaari
Spokesman	Mohammed Al-Mansouri †[1]
Dates of operation	11 May 2018[2] – 12 February 2019
Active regions	Derna, Libya
Ideology	Islamic extremism[3]
Size	50–60 (HOR estimate, 14 June 2018)[4] 46 (12 February 2019)[5]
Opponents	Libyan National Army
Battles and wars	Second Libyan Civil War Battle of Derna (2018–19)
Preceded by Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna

History

The militia was founded on 11 May 2018 by Ateyah Al-Shaari, the leader of the Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna.

Despite losing control of Derna on 28 June 2018,^[7][8] the Derna Protection Force survived the LNA assault. In July^[9] and September^[10] they clashed with the LNA. Despite these clashes, it had been commented in October 2018 that after "losing fighters, leadership and control of the city", the DPF had effectively "ceased to exist as an organization".^[11]

On 12 February 2019, the 46 remaining DPF fighters surrendered to the LNA, ending the DPF existence.^[5]

The LNA blamed 2 improvised explosive devices attacks in Derna on 2 June 2019 on the DPF, despite the group being defunct. On the following day, the attack was claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.^[12]