# Libyan Arab Force Founded (1940)

URL: https://allhistories.com/libya/timeline/1940-libyan-arab-force-founded
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Themes: battle

When Italy entered the war, thousands of Libyan exiles were living in Egypt, many of them Cyrenaicans who had fled the reconquest. Idris as-Senussi saw the war as an opportunity to liberate Libya with British help, though Tripolitanian exile leaders were wary of committing themselves to Senussi leadership. On 9 August 1940 Libyan leaders meeting in Cairo agreed to Idris's proposal to cooperate with Britain and recognised him as their leader. The Libyan Arab Force, known as the Senussi Army, was formed with British officers and equipment, eventually comprising five battalions. Its soldiers served in guard duties, reconnaissance and some combat roles during the Western Desert campaign, including at Tobruk, and in mopping-up operations in the Jebel Akhdar. In January 1942 British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden told the House of Commons that the Senussi of Cyrenaica would not again fall under Italian domination after the war. The Senussi Army's contribution strengthened Idris's claim to lead post-war Libya and gave Cyrenaica a privileged position in British planning. After the war it formed the core of the Cyrenaica Defence Force and later of the army of the Kingdom of Libya. At this point in the timeline (August 1940), the King of Italy (sovereign of Libya) was Victor Emmanuel III (29 July 1900 – 9 May 1946 (sovereign of Libya 1911–1943)); the Governor-General of Italian Libya was Rodolfo Graziani (1 July 1940 – 25 March 1941).

## Why it matters
The Senussi Army linked Libyan liberation to the Allied cause and underpinned Britain's commitment to Idris after the war.

Ruler at the Time: [Victor Emmanuel III](https://allhistories.com/libya/rulers/victor-emmanuel-iii)

Governor-General of Italian Libya: Rodolfo Graziani

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Libyan Arab Force](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyan_Arab_Force)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica — Idris I Libya](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Idris+I+Libya)
- [Wikipedia — Italian Libya (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Libya)