Former French President Sarkozy visits Libya

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy travelled to Tripoli on Tuesday (March 19), urging Libyans to reconcile after the 2011 war as the North African country marked two years since the first French warplanes launched air strikes against Muammar Gaddafi's forces. Accompanied by his former foreign minister Alain Juppe, Sarkozy met officials from Tripoli's local council, where he was thanked for spearheading foreign intervention in the Libyan uprising that eventually ended with Gaddafi's capture and death in October 2011. Sarkozy later met Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and urged Libyans to put their grievances aside to build their country after 42 years of dictatorship.
Nearly 18 months after Gaddafi's death, Libya's new rulers still face challenges in reconciling groups with long-running grievances and embracing those who chose not to back the revolt - out of fear or because they genuinely supported Gaddafi.
March 19 is when Western powers backed by Arab states began a U.N.-mandated action to protect civilians with French warplanes being the first to destroy Gaddafi forces' tanks and armoured vehicles near the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi.
Sarkozy, the first foreign leader to recognize the rebel opposition and drop support for Gaddafi, recalled when those air strikes began to loud applause from local officials.
He last visited Libya in September 2011, when he was still in office, along with British Prime Minister David Cameron after rebels ousted Gaddafi with French, British and U.S. backing.