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People group profile · PG042763

The Cyrenaican Arabs of Libya

The Cyrenaican Arabs of Libya, numbering about 1,940,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous Cyrenaican Arab community of Libya.

They are an indigenous people in the Arab, Libyan people cluster of the Arab Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Libyan Arabic.

Pray for the Cyrenaican ArabsPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Cyrenaican Arabs people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite: Arab, Cyrenaican

Fast facts

Country
Libya
Population
1,940,000
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Arab, Libyan
Primary language
Libyan Arabic (ayl)
Primary religion
Sunni Islam
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Northern Africa, Africa
Location
Widespread, especially north

Where they live

Gospel status

The Cyrenaican Arabs are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Cyrenaican Arabs

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Sunni Islam · Islam

99% adherents

Primary language

Libyan Arabic · Afro-Asiatic family

100% speak Libyan Arabic

Gospel resources in Libyan Arabic

  • Bible available, published 2024
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings not available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Cyrenaican Arabs

  1. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  2. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  3. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  4. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

Download a prayer guide

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