The Battle of Izbat as-Safih was a battle fought between the armies of Ancient Egypt and the Libu nomads of the Western Desert in 1198 BC. Prince Ramesses' general Amanapa destroyed an invading Libu army under Karepe in the desert of Beheira Governorate, saving Lower Egypt from the ravages of Karepe's horde.
Starting in 1200 BC, Libu invasions of western Egypt became a normal occurrence every two years. Most of these were fought off by the Egyptian governor of Amunia, Setnakhte, whose armies scoured the desert for Libu raiding parties. However, a large Libu army led by Karepe made it past the Egyptian frontier, intending on seizing rich agricultural lands in Lower Egypt. Setnakhte's son Ramesses sent his general Amanapa to confront and destroy this army before it could take advantage of Ramesses' preoccupation with the Shekelesh and his own seizure of power in Middle Egypt. The two armies met among the Beheira Desert's sand dunes, near the present-day farming village of Izbat as-Safih.
In the ensuing battle, the Egyptians were forced to attack uphill, utilizing flanking tactics to overcome their geographical disadvantage. The Egyptian right flank swung around the Libu rear to attack the enemy from both sides, although the Egyptian left suffered heavy losses during the Libyans' downhill charge. The Egyptians put the Libyans to rout and destroyed their entire army, saving Lower Egypt from outside invasion.
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