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On September 11, 2012, at 9:40 p.m. local time, members of Ansar al-Sharia attacked the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi resulting in the deaths of both United States Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith.
- Overview
- The attacks
- Reactions and investigation
2012 Benghazi attacks, assaults on a U.S. diplomatic compound and a nearby CIA annex in the city of Benghazi, Libya, on September 11–12, 2012, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya—the first violent death of a U.S. ambassador since 1988. The incident sparked controversy and ignited a political firest...
As the Libyan uprising that began in February 2011 continued to escalate, U.S. envoy John Christopher (“Chris”) Stevens first arrived in Benghazi on April 5, 2011, in an outreach mission to the Libyan rebels. He was appointed U.S. ambassador to Libya in May 2012 and was based in Tripoli. On September 10, 2012, he went to the U.S. compound in Benghazi to continue work on the special mission there, including reconnecting with local contacts and filling staffing gaps.
On the night of September 11, about 150 Islamic militants associated with an al-Qaeda affiliate stormed the compound and set fire to the main building. Stevens, information technology specialist Sean Smith, and a security officer hid in a safe room. By the time rescuers arrived, Smith had died of asphyxiation, and Stevens could not be found in the heavy smoke before the rescue team was driven out. Stevens was later recovered by local Libyans and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
As the U.S. government began to investigate the incident, initial remarks from officials were vague and at times seemed contradictory. In the days following the attacks, officials in the Obama administration reported that the incident was related to demonstrations that same day that occurred outside the U.S. embassy in Cairo, after an Egyptian-Amer...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Dec 19, 2012 · An armed man waves his rifle as buildings and cars are engulfed in flames after being set on fire inside the U.S. Consulate compound in Benghazi late on Sept. 11. AFP/Getty Images. The U.S....
Feb 5, 2016 · Some of the Benghazi attackers reportedly trained at MJN camps in Libya. Though the core of Al Qaeda did not coordinate this attack, it demonstrates how lesser but potentially violent groups...
- Natasha Lindstaedt
Oct 22, 2015 · On the anniversary of 9/11, around 9:40 p.m., heavily armed men stormed the compound, opening fire and torching some of its buildings. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testifies before a...
Sep 10, 2013 · CNN Editorial Research. 14 minute read. Updated 1:54 PM EDT, Tue August 29, 2023. Link Copied! Attack on U.S. mission in Benghazi — A vehicle sits smoldering in flames on September 11....
Oct 26, 2012 · As reported by Foreign Policy: “We had the correct number of assets in Benghazi on the night of 9/11,” Lamb testified. Others testified differently.
