In addition to those three factions , there are also smaller rival groups : the Islamist Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries , led by Ansar al-Sharia , which has had the support of the GNC and was defeated Conquering in Benghazi in 2017 ; the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 's ( ISIL 's ) Libyan provinces ; the Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna which expelled Removing ISIL from Derna in July 2015 and was later itself defeated Conquering in Derna by the Tobruk government in 2018 ; as well as many militias and armed groups , whose allegiances often change Change .

Ansar Bait al-Maqdis , an Al-Qaeda-linked group in the Sinai Peninsula , released Statement an online statement Statement claiming Statement responsibility for the blast but the government sounded Change_sentiment determined Deciding that the Muslim Brotherhood was behind it and intensified Cause_change_of_strength its crackdown Attack on the organization Arranging .

Ansar al-Sunna 's goal is to transform Change the country of Iraq into an Islamic state so their goals are regional Rite .

The 2012 Benghazi attack Attack was a coordinated attack Attack against two United States government facilities in Benghazi , Libya by members of the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia .

At 9:40 p.m. , September 11 , members of Ansar al-Sharia attacked Attack the American diplomatic compound Cause_to_amalgamate in Benghazi resulting in Causation the deaths Death of U.S .

They staged Hold public demonstrations condemning Judgment_communication Ansar al-Sharia , which had been formed Coming_to_be during the 2011 Libyan civil war Hostile_encounter in opposition to leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi .

Khattala has been described Statement by Libyan and U.S. officials as the Benghazi leader of Ansar al-Sharia .

The U.S. Department of State designated Deciding Ansar al-Sharia as a terrorist organization in January 2014 .

In 2014 , elements of the Ansar Bait al-Maqdis group pledged Commitment allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ( ISIL ) and proclaimed Statement themselves Sinai Province , and a part of ISIL .

The Islamist group Ansar Dine , too , began Process_start fighting Hostile_encounter the government in later stages of the conflict Hostile_encounter , claiming Statement control Control of vast swathes of territory , albeit disputed Quarreling by the MNLA .

By 17 July , MOJWA and Ansar Dine had pushed Self_motion the MNLA out of all the major cities .

The MNLA were initially backed by the Islamist group Ansar Dine .

After the Malian military was driven Self_motion from northern Mali , Ansar Dine and a number of smaller Islamist groups began Process_start imposing strict Sharia law .

Afterwards , the MNLA began Process_start fighting Hostile_encounter against Ansar Dine and other Islamist groups , including Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa ( MOJWA/MUJAO ) , a splinter group of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb .