Where were Gaddafi's female bodyguards during his final days?

[kent davidge]

Why didn't Muammar Gaddafi's all female bodyguards protect him before he was captured?

I've searched for an answer to this question all over the internet and have not found any

 

[Vanadium 50]

I've searched for an answer to this question all over the internet

Apparently not as far as Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Muammar_Gaddafi

Gaddafi took refuge in a large drainage pipe with several loyalist bodyguards. A nearby group of NTC fighters opened fire, wounding Gaddafi in the leg and back. According to one unnamed NTC fighter, one of Gaddafi's own loyalists also shot him, apparently to spare him from being captured.A group of rebels approached the pipe where Gaddafi was hiding and ordered him to come out, which he did slowly. He was then dragged up to his feet as rebels shouted, "Muammar, Muammar

 

[sysprog]

If I were ever to become Caesar I would expensively retire the existing Praetorian Guard and continually hire new crew members who always retained an option to retire to a nice villa with a cozy pension.

 

[kent davidge]

Apparently not as far as Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Muammar_Gaddafi

No, that is not what I'm looking for. It only mentions "loyalists". It remains the question of what happened to the female guard. They had a structure, a commander etc.. They were not just a few armed loyalists.

At the time wikipedia talks about, apparently there was no female guards with him, at least not in full, wearing uniform and holding up guns while in formation as they used to do in the glorious times of Gaddafi.

 

[kent davidge]

If I were ever to become Caesar I would expensively retire the existing Praetorian Guard and continually hire new crew members who always retained an option to retire to a nice villa with a cozy pension.

why? so that they don't revolt agains you in the future?

 

[Bandersnatch]

Reading the sources Wikipedia cites in its article on the Amazonian Guard, it would appear that the formation was largely ceremonial, i.e. it's not like they were actually guarding him at all times, but rather would accompany him on foreign visits or during official celebrations. The Guardian article therein has this to say, for example:

One, Nisrine Abdul Hadi, 19, says she was sent to join Gaddafi's army by her family in Bani Walid. She was arrested in the loyalist stronghold of Abu Selim in one of the last battles for the capital, accused of running supplies to loyalist soldiers.

She has the haunted eyes of a child who is utterly lost. "We had three jobs," she explains. "To support the male army, to do ceremonial things, like guarding. And to fight if necessary."

The picture those same articles paint for their fate appears to be no different than the fate of any other loyalist - they were captured, killed, or fled.

 

[Vanadium 50]

It only mentions "loyalists"

It mentions "loyalist bodyguards". Look at the quote.

Now, if you want to say it doesn't mention the gender of each and every bodyguard, fine. But now you are making the assumption that none of them are women, and that there was some sort of reason for this.

 

[chemisttree]

Those female bodyguards would stick out like a sore thumb and He was trying to move about unnoticed. Very unlikely he chose the women as his protectors in the end, IMO.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

You don't really think a woman can protect you from men?!
:-)

 

[chemisttree]

Nah! I don’t think that female bodyguards in Libya would blend in. No bodyguards would have been able to protect him from an angry mob which is why I believe he was trying to blend in rather than stick out by having female guards around him. Male bodyguards in three piece suits would have also stuck out like a sore thumb as well. Likely that whatever bodyguards he had were dressed like locals as was Gaddafi. You can see for yourself from the numerous sites on the internet of his capture just what he was wearing. Clearly he was trying to blend in.
Kind of reminds me of Santa Anna who was found hiding in the grass a couple of days after the Battle of San Jacinto dressed as a private.

He didn’t have any female bodyguards either.

 

[kent davidge]

He didn’t have any female bodyguards either

you mean, the Amazonian guard was cerimonial in the way @Bandersnatch mentioned?

 

[Klystron]

[snip]
Kind of reminds me of Santa Anna who was found hiding in the grass a couple of days after the Battle of San Jacinto dressed as a private.

He didn’t have any female bodyguards either.

There were rumors -- perhaps Texas tall tales -- Santa Anna escaped capture after San jancinto dressed as a woman before donning a private's uniform. Interesting historical analogy though Santa Anna not only survived capture by Americans but was rewarded upon repatriation to Mexico after meeting the US President. An enigmatic flexible politician-soldier.

 

[berkeman]

you mean, the Amazonian guard was cerimonial in the way @Bandersnatch mentioned?

I think this has been answered well so far in this thread, like this:

Nah! I don’t think that female bodyguards in Libya would blend in. No bodyguards would have been able to protect him from an angry mob which is why I believe he was trying to blend in rather than stick out by having female guards around him.

As a medic, I've worked alongside female SWAT officers here in the US that you would definitely not want to cross. This thread is wavering a bit too much, so I'll close it now. Have a nice day.