Overview of Back to Benghazi | Episode 4: The Libyans Who Came for Us
Sarah Adams focuses this episode on the Libyan responders who helped evacuate Americans after the Benghazi attacks—a group she says is often overlooked in U.S. accounts. She explains how Libyan Military Intelligence and Libyan Special Forces (Saiqa) arrived around 6:06 a.m. on September 12, 2012, after the mortar attack that killed Tyrone Woods and Glen “Bub” Doherty, and helped move remaining personnel from the CIA Annex toward the airport. The episode also traces the long history of these Libyan units, argues they were legitimate anti-terrorist state forces rather than militias, and closes with a reflection on memory, sacrifice, and the importance of honoring allies.
What Happened at 6:06 a.m.
Adams places the listener in the timeline right after the final major attack on the CIA Annex:
- The mortar strike had just killed Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.
- A case officer inside the Annex contacted a local police officer at a checkpoint north of the facility.
- That officer said he lacked the manpower and vehicles for an evacuation, but he had a cousin who could help.
- That connection ultimately brought in a combined force of:
- Libyan Military Intelligence
- Libyan Special Forces (Saiqa)
Their mission was to assist with evacuation from the Annex and move Americans to Benghazi airport.
Who the Libyan Rescuers Were
Adams emphasizes that these were not militias and not terrorists:
- Libyan Military Intelligence is described as roughly comparable to the U.S. DIA.
- Saiqa / Libyan Special Forces were described as real soldiers, not ad hoc armed groups.
- She contrasts them with hostile local entities like:
- Libya Shield
- Supreme Security Council
- Preventive Security Brigades
- Islamist-aligned groups and later ISIS elements
Her central point is that the men who came to help were the correct Libyan allies, even if the U.S. did not fully understand that at the time.
Historical Background of the Saiqa Forces
A major part of the episode explains that the Benghazi special forces unit has roots before Gaddafi, dating back to the Kingdom of Libya:
- The unit originated in the early 1950s, after Libyan independence.
- King Idris supported the force and gave them land and buildings that became their headquarters/training base.
- Under Abdel Fattah Younis, the unit was reorganized and expanded around 1970.
- The force developed specialties in:
- commando operations
- parachute training
- special operations
Adams argues the unit saw itself as serving Libya, not any one ruler, which helped it survive through:
- the 1969 Gaddafi coup
- the Gaddafi era
- the 2011 revolution
- the Second Libyan Civil War
After Benghazi: The Fight Continued
The episode makes clear that the Libyan responders did not simply assist once and disappear:
- After the Benghazi attack, these forces were later involved in fighting the same extremist networks that had targeted Americans.
- During the Second Libyan Civil War, Benghazi’s security forces and citizens fought back against groups trying to take over the city and establish a caliphate.
- Adams says the special forces compound itself was later attacked and badly damaged:
- barracks destroyed
- parachute facilities destroyed
- gym and housing units bombed
- She frames this as proof that terrorists target not just people, but also history, institutions, and culture.
Key People Mentioned
Libyan side
- Soliman/Suleiman Hasi — described as an early head of Libyan intelligence in Benghazi
- Younis Boukhamada — described as the special forces commander in charge on the night of the attack
- Abdul Salam al-Hassi — described as a current Libyan special forces leader and as someone who offered assistance during the attack
Benghazi / U.S. context
- Tyrone Woods
- Glen Doherty
- Ambassador Christopher Stevens
- Sean, Roan, and Bub are referenced as other fallen Americans / allies tied to the broader Benghazi story
Emotional and Thematic Takeaways
The episode ends on a more reflective note, using the underground river at the special forces compound—identified with the ancient River Lethe—as a metaphor for memory and history.
Main themes include:
- Respect matters overseas: small relationships can become lifesaving in crisis.
- Not all Benghazi actors were the same: Adams insists on distinguishing legitimate Libyan forces from militias and extremist proxies.
- Allies deserve recognition: she argues the Libyans who helped should be publicly thanked and remembered.
- Memory fades, sacrifice does not: the episode closes by stressing that some acts of courage should not be forgotten, even years later.
Bottom Line
This episode is a tribute to the Libyan military and intelligence personnel who came to the Americans’ aid at Benghazi. Sarah Adams argues they were credible, brave anti-terrorist allies whose actions have been under-acknowledged, and she places their role within the longer history of Libyan special forces and the post-2011 struggle against extremist groups.