Libya: US bets on reconciliation of rival factions to oust Russia

This week, Flintlock 2026, a special forces exercise led by the United States and involving 30 nations, began in Sirte, Libya. The Flintlock exercise has been held annually on the African continent since 2005, with the participation of European and African countries. But this year, for the first time ever, Libyan forces from both rival camps are taking part in the maneuvers, and Libya is hosting part of the exercise.

For a little over a decade, Libya has been divided between two administrations. On one side, the Government of National Unity (GUN), an internationally recognized provisional government established under the UN, based in Tripoli and led by Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, controls the west of the country. On the other hand, the administration led by General Khalifa Haftar, based in Tobruk, controls the east of the country.

Uniting Libyan Forces

The fact that soldiers from both camps are training together, wearing the same uniform during the Flintlock 2026 exercise, is a major turning point for Libya. Two years ago, a military exercise of this scale, with a new joint operations center for all Libyan forces, was almost unimaginable. Today, Libyan military leaders from rival factions in the east and west of the country insist that the reunification of Libya is “not a choice”, but rather “a necessity”.

Khalifa Haftar has long enjoyed the support of Russia, but the tide began to turn with the war in Ukraine. The general feared that Wagner mercenaries – now Africa Corps – might attempt a coup against his administration, as they had tried to do in Russia itself, explains the Wall Street Journal. John Brennan, deputy commander of the US Africa Command, saw an opportunity to bring Haftar and Abdul Salam Al-Zoubi, vice minister of defense of the Tripoli government, closer together to oust Russia.

Ousting Russia

Especially since Russia has doubled its military deployment in West Africa since 2024, aiming to strengthen its presence and influence in Libya. Moscow notably reopened an embassy in Tripoli two years ago and allegedly, according to the German newspaper Deutsche Welle, transferred personnel and military equipment to an abandoned base near the border with Chad and Sudan.

This has raised security concerns among Western powers. “The significant Russian military presence in Libya, on NATO’s southern flank, is obviously a source of concern for us,” explained British ambassador Martin Reynolds from Sirte. He concluded, “We would like to see a Libyan government with which we can work closely (…), a government that does not feel the need to rely on foreign powers as is currently the case.”