Today, on Sunday, the Libyan people celebrate the 72nd anniversary of their independence, which marks the culmination of Libyan struggles for freedom after decades of Italian occupation that began in 1911. The struggle against Italian occupation continued until the United Nations' decision to grant Libya independence in November 1949, five years after the end of World War II. On December 24, 1951, the late King Idris Al-Sanusi declared Libya's independence from the balcony of the Al-Manar Palace in Benghazi. In his independence speech, he announced that "as a result of the nation's struggle and by the UN resolution issued on November 21, 1949, Libya had achieved independence with the help of God."

Source: Libya Observer December 24, 2023 15:00 UTC