Somewhat symbolic of the lack of clarity surrounding a Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on American citizens in Benghazi, a NASA satellite captured a massive dust storm over Libya's second-largest city on March 30, 2013.
Dust storms count among the most frequent natural hazards in Libya. A relatively mild Mediterranean climate predominates along the coast, but vast sand seas sprawl over the interior landscape. Those sand seas provide plentiful material for dust storms, and hot, dry, dusty winds can last up to four days in the spring and fall.
Image courtesy of NASA.