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The Nafusa Mountains became first a hotbed for anti-Gaddafi protests (with protests breaking out relatively early in Nalut and Zintan) and then a rebel stronghold, an island of rebel control in the mainly Gaddafi-controlled western part of the country. During the early stages, forces allied to the national transitional government succeeded in evacuating most non-combatants into Tunisia; the [[Wazzin]] border crossing was captured and held to ensure supply lines from Tunisia; all the mountain towns were retaken; and the front extended to the plains, cutting regime communications lines and allowing electricity to be restored. They were the first rebel combatants to be supplied with arms by air-drop.<ref>{{cite news|last=Spencer|first=Richard|title=France supplying weapons to Libyan rebels|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8606541/France-supplying-weapons-to-Libyan-rebels.html|accessdate=18 August 2011|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=29 June 2011}}</ref>
In the course of the civil war, many towns in the area were subjected to shelling by artillery and rockets from both sides, with much damage to infrastructure. Regime forces cut off electricity and water supplies. [[Médecins Sans Frontières]] sent a team in [[Zintan]] to help the large number of wounded.<ref>{{cite web|title=MSF expands operations in response to growing needs in Libya|url=http://www.msf.org/msf/articles/2011/05/msf-expands-operations-in-response-to-growing-needs-in-libya.cfm|publisher=Médecins Sans Frontières|accessdate=18 August 2011|date=18 May 2011}}</ref>
===Cultural renaissance===
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