SAEDNEWS: Female guards of Libya's former dictator met very different fates
According to Saed News, citing Young Journalists Club, Muammar Gaddafi, the former Libyan dictator, employed a large cadre of female bodyguards who accompanied him on all his travels. Officially known as the “Revolutionary Nuns” and referred to in Western media as the “Amazonian Guard,” these units numbered between 40 and 400 women, all exclusively female.
The presence of Gaddafi’s female bodyguards dates back to the 1990s. During his trips, he was typically accompanied by 15 women tasked with his protection. According to a document released by WikiLeaks, in the final years of his rule, Gaddafi relied less on his female bodyguards—on a trip to New York, only one accompanied him. These women were not all Libyan; some came from other Arab countries and even Cuba. Gaddafi personally called every guard “Aisha,” after his daughter.
Gaddafi reportedly chose women as bodyguards because he believed that Arab men would hesitate to shoot at them. Others suggest it reflected his eccentricities and his penchant for surrounding himself with young women.
After Libya’s civil war and the fall of Tripoli to forces loyal to the National Transitional Council, one of Gaddafi’s 19-year-old bodyguards, Nasrin Mansour Al-Farqani, alleged that Gaddafi and his sons had sexually abused the female guards. She also claimed that the guards were forced to kill protesters under threat of being killed themselves.
The Dictator’s Personal Nurses
Four women, always positioned behind Gaddafi and dressed in military uniforms like the other guards, were in fact his personal nurses. Trained in first aid and emergency care, they were responsible for attending to the dictator’s health and personal needs, even on international trips. Gaddafi insisted that these four nurses—and all 100 of his female guards—remain unmarried while serving him. They were expected to dedicate their lives entirely to his protection and were forbidden from speaking to the media or revealing any confidential information.
Gaddafi’s attachment to his nurses was so extreme that, during an international trip to Portugal, he sent a plane back to Libya to fetch one whose visa had not been issued in time, ensuring she could accompany him to the United States for a United Nations General Assembly speech.
Selection, Training, and Uniforms
Gaddafi personally selected each guard and nurse from a dedicated training academy he established, requiring them to swear lifelong loyalty before formal employment. Unlike male bodyguards, these women always wore military attire made from high-quality fabrics, including custom boots, valued at over $4,000. Even when off-duty, they had to remain alert, ready for Gaddafi at any moment.
After Gaddafi: Diverging Fates
Four years after Gaddafi’s death, his female bodyguards have faced varied destinies. Some are in prison, others have gained notoriety, and some have gone into hiding. Among the most prominent was Aisha, a personal bodyguard named after Gaddafi’s daughter, now imprisoned in Tripoli. Gaddafi numbered his guards—Aisha 1, Aisha 2, Aisha 3—reflecting his obsession with control and loyalty.
Following the fall of Tripoli, Jamila Durman, another close personal bodyguard, was arrested. She had accompanied Gaddafi on most trips and reportedly participated in executions and clashes with opposition forces in 1984. Her current status remains unclear, with Libyan authorities yet to announce any trial.
Mabrouka Al-Sharif Abdelkarim, commander of Gaddafi’s special guard, fled to Algeria after the revolution and has lived there under refugee protection since 2012. Jamila Al-Mahmoudi, another key bodyguard, became widely known as the “keeper of Gaddafi’s secrets,” ensuring his security even on the most dangerous days.
Gaddafi also employed four Ukrainian nurses, the most famous being Galina Kolotnitska. He reportedly never traveled without her, and their close relationship drew media attention. On one occasion, when routine issues prevented her from joining him, Gaddafi dispatched a private plane from Tripoli to Portugal to bring her along for a trip to New York.
Gaddafi’s Death
The fall of Gaddafi came after months of nationwide protests and armed rebellion. Libya’s civil war began on October 20, 2012, culminating in Gaddafi’s death in Tripoli. The dictator’s life ended with three bullets to the head, marking the violent conclusion of one of modern history’s most infamous regimes.
