Classical Ras Lanouf was part of the Greek
Pentapolis colonies. The traditional western boundary of the Pentapolis lay at
Arae Philaenorum. Some historians claim it is 40 km west of
El Agheila, while others place Arae Philaenorum near Ra's Lanuf, and the modern
Italian commemorative
arch featuring the Philaeni stood here before its destruction in 1973.
World War II On 3 April 1941 there was a British war
communiqué that in the
North Africa Campaign in
World War II in the night of 1 April 1941 Allied bomber aircraft heavily attacked German/Italian motor transport at Ra's Lanuf and destroyed many vehicles.
Growth under Gaddafi Beginning in 1984, a major
urban development program for Ra's Lanuf was initiated by the
Brega and Ras Lanuf Higher Committee to accommodate employees of the nearby oil industries, and envisaged for 40,000 inhabitants. The general design of the town layout was to be linear, following the coast and allowing extensive views and easy physical connection with the sea from all parts of town. The town's structure was based on a functional hierarchy, containing three centers forming public zones with community facilities extending to the Mediterranean coast; these were in turn surrounded by high-rise housing blocks. A pedestrian route links different public, commercial, and recreational facilities to residential areas. The project was carried out by
Devecon Engineers and Architects.
Libyan Civil War On 4 March 2011 after heavy fighting, anti-Gaddafi Libyan rebels captured Ra's Lanuf. The rebel advance was halted in the
Battle of Bin Jawad and a counter-offensive by government forces opened the second phase of the Battle of Ra's Lanuf. After heavy bombardment from air, land, and sea, the government forces retook the city on 10 March. On 27 March rebels retook control of Ra's Lanuf as part of a rapid advance as 24 hours earlier they had retaken the strategic towns of
Brega and
Ajdabiya, but within a matter of days rebel forces retreated from the city once more in the face of a new government counter-offensive. On 23 August, rebels recaptured Ra's Lanuf from government loyalists and continued their advance towards
Bin Jawad and
Sirte. However, sporadic fighting continued in Ra's Lanuf into September. ==Administrative governance==