The First Battle of Zawiya was a battle during the Libyan Civil War between army units and militiamen loyal to Muammar Gaddafi and anti-Gaddafi forces for control of the city of Zawiya. The city quickly fell into rebels hands with soldiers from Libyan Army units defecting. Zawiya was the rebel city which was closest to Tripoli, and it became the main focus of Gaddafi troops. The city was besieged and regularly attacked by loyalists with rebels defending the center of the town. The final assault lasted one week and was led by the Khamis Brigade, the best trained unit of the Libyan army. The rebellion was ultimately crushed in the city and Gaddafi troops took complete control of the town, searching for suspected rebels and erasing any sign of the rebellion.