Benghazi in Crisis (2016)—Libya

Back in 2011, the citizens of Benghazi danced in the streets when the Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown.  The city was the birthplace of the uprising.  But a year later, in September of 2012, Islamic militants attacked the American Embassy there, and in 2014 ISIS stormed the city.  Today there is a violent battle for Libya's second largest city that sits on the northeast Mediterranean coast just across from southern Greece and Italy — between the government military, numerous local militias, and then ISIS.  The chaos and carnage has displaced 100,000 citizens.  The fault lines run along competing tribal, political, and military interests.  This PBS Frontline documentary is narrated by the correspondent Feras Kilani.  The urban images are apocalyptic.  Despite it all, somehow, the documentary also features very brave parents, children, teachers, and social workers who are trying to maintain the semblance of normal life.  I watched this film for free on the PBS Frontline website.