The Battle of Bani Walid was a military operation in the Libyan civil war conducted by anti-Gaddafi forces in September and October 2011, in an effort to take control of the desert city of Bani Walid from pro-Gaddafi forces. It began following days of force buildup on the part of the attackers, as well as skirmishes around the city.

Following the collapse of loyalist forces in Zawiya, Zliten and finally Tripoli in mid to late August, NLA forces advanced southwards from Misrata and Tarhuna towards the apparent pro-Gaddafi stronghold of Bani Walid.

3 September

Negotiations between representatives of the National Transitional Council, and tribal leaders from Bani Walid broke down. NLA fighters armed with heavy machine guns and anti aircraft guns advanced from Tarhuna towards Bani Walid after negotiations appeared to have failed.

4 September

NLA forces were 60 km from the city, according to the NTC.

5 September

The NTC announced that "the door is still open for negotiations", referring to attempts to get Bani Walid to surrender to NLA forces peacefully. It was reported that NLA units were only 40 km from the city.

Bani Walid /ˈbæniː wɑˈliːd/ (Arabic: بني وليد‎ Banī Walīd) is a town in Libya, in the Misrata District. The city is located on either side of the wadi Merdum, and is surrounded by the Libyan desert.

Prior to 2007 it was the capital of Bani Walid District. Bani Walid has an airport, Bani Walid airport. Under the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, it was divided into two Basic People's Congresses: Dahra - Bani Walid (الظهرة – بني وليد), and Zaytouna - Bani Walid (الزيتونة – بني وليد).

It is the home to the Warfalla tribe, the only city in which only one tribe resides. A campus of Misrata University is located in Bani Walid.

In the Libyan civil war, after the anti-Gaddafi forces captured Tripoli in August and Sabha in September, Bani Walid, along with Sirte, was one of two final strongholds held by forces loyal to the ousted Gaddafi regime.

There were clashes between anti-Gaddafi forces surrounding the city and Gaddafi loyalists defending it throughout September and early October; the city was finally taken on 17 October.