US backs first joint exercise between Libya’s rival military forces

Eastern and western Libyan military leaders will participate in joint US-sponsored exercises, in an effort to reunify the country's divided armed forces for the first time since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. 

On Tuesday, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) Deputy Commander John Brennan announced in the central city of Sirte that Flintlock 2026, AFRICOM's annual special forces exercise, will include Libya as a key location, with participation from Italy and other international partners.

"We are honoured that a spoke of this important event will take place in Sirte, Libya," Gen Brennan said, describing the initiative as part of efforts to strengthen "regional stability, peace and prosperity".

The US embassy in Tripoli said the exercise, scheduled for next year's spring, aims to bring together military units from both sides of the conflict for joint training through "counter-terrorism operations".

During his visit to Sirte, Brennan and US Chargé d'Affaires Jeremy Berndt met with Saddam Haftar, the deputy commander of the eastern-based s0-called Libyan National Army (LNA) and son of Khalifa Haftar, to discuss strengthening US-Libya defence ties.

Who are the rival administrations in Libya? 

Since Gaddafi's overthrow in 2011, Libya has remained split between two rival administrations in Tripoli and Benghazi, each backed by competing armed groups and foreign powers.

The main conflict is between militia coalitions and forces loyal to the UN-recognised Government of National Unity (GNU) based in Tripoli, and the LNA led by Khalifa Haftar, controlling the east and south.

Initially supportive of the Tripoli government, Washington is now seeking to engage both sides.

Over the past year, the US has stepped up contacts with military leaders from both camps to promote the formation of a joint Libyan force composed of officers from east and west.

Flintlock 2026 will be the inaugural US-hosted regional training in Libya, taking place in Sirte - a pivotal site in Libya's conflict and central to US strategy for Libyan force collaboration.

The coastal city lies on the ceasefire line established in 2020 after the Second Libyan Civil War between the Tripoli-based government and Haftar's self-styled LNA. 

It was also where US-backed Libyan forces defeated the Islamic State group in 2016.

Libya: Russian influence and Trump's business interests

Security analysts say the initiative forms part of a broader US effort to counter Russia's growing presence in Libya.

"Sirte lies opposite NATO's southern flank and near Russian activity in the central desert. Turning it into a training hub signals a subtle US return to the field," Libyan security expert Najy Bouseif, told The New Arab's Arabic-language sister publication Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. 

Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group, now reportedly integrated into Moscow's defence ministry, continue to operate in eastern Libya and at airbases in the centre of the country.

President Donald Trump has also shown interest in developing US business ties with the oil-rich nation. He dispatched his senior adviser for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, to Tripoli and Benghazi in July to meet with both Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh and Khalifa Haftar.

During the visit, Boulos attended the signing of a $235 million infrastructure agreement between Libya's National Oil Corporation and New Jersey-based Hill International, aimed at boosting gas production and exports.

AFRICOM said strengthening Libya's counter-terrorism capabilities would help promote regional stability and create "opportunities for US investment".

US-Haftar cooperation: 'human rights caveats'

Washington's engagement with both governments reflects a broader regional trend, as countries such as Italy, Egypt, and Turkey are moving to accommodate both sides of the conflict.

Still, rights groups warn that cooperation with Haftar's forces - long accused of war crimes - risks legitimising his authority.

Earlier this year, the Libyan American Alliance filed on behalf of a family who lost several members in the conflict a US federal lawsuit against Khalifa Haftar and his son, Saddam, accusing them of war crimes during the 2019 assault on Tripoli.

Jonathan Winer, a former US special envoy for Libya under President Barack Obama, argues that the initiative reflects "a pragmatic approach" from Washington.

"The US is showing it's willing to work with everyone," he said in an interview with the Africa Report, a Paris-based media. 

"That's probably the right policy for now, though not without caveats about human rights and corruption."