 In late August 2011 (as part of the Libyan Civil War), opposition forces from the National Liberation Amy entered Tarhuna, amidst mixed feelings from the citizens.It is known that Khamis Gaddafi, son of Muammar Gaddafi, died in clashes near Tarhuna.On 23 August 2012, Interior ministry spokesman Abdelmonem al-Hur stated that more than a hundred tanks and twenty-six rocket launchers were seized from an alleged pro-Gaddafi militia (named "Katibat Al-Awfiyah", or Brigade of the Faithful), during a raid on their campsite in Tarhuna.