DISINFO: US and European countries ousted Gaddafi and killed him
SUMMARY
As the Arab Spring spread to Libya, the United States and its European allies took advantage of Gaddafi’s weakness and organised his overthrow to kill him.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that the US and some European countries have destabilised Libya which led to the killing of the country’s former President to advance geopolitical goals. See a previous case and also recent Polygraph article "Did NATO Cause the Crisis in Libya"?
On the 8th of March, the US State Department denied the reports that the United States would arm opposition groups and has clearly stated that "Arming the Libyan opposition would be ‘illegal’", stressing the need to maintain the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970, which imposed international sanctions on Libya including an arms embargo, that applied to both the Gaddafi regime and the rebel groups.
On the 17th of March, the Security Council at the United Nations adopted Resolution 1973 that formed the legal basis for military intervention in the Libyan Civil War, demanding "an immediate ceasefire" and authorising the international community to establish a no-fly zone to protect civilians, after the escalation of violence, and the heavy civilian casualties, along with the deteriorating situation in the country.
See previous cases with the same narrative mentioning regime changes in Belarus, Asian countries, Venezuela.