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US ambassador praises efforts by Libyan leaders to ‘overcome divisions’ after talks with LNA’s Saddam Haftar.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with a commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), which represents the government in eastern Libya and competes with the world-renowned authorities in the capital Tripoli.
Talks between Rubio and Vice President Saddam Haftar on Monday come in the middle of Washington deep affect in an attempt to resolve the political conflict in North Africa.
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The US State Department, in a statement, said that Rubio and Haftar “discussed the ongoing efforts in Libya to unite the military, economic, and political forces in the country” and “possible ways to cooperate to advance cooperation and peace in Libya”.
“The Secretary praised the efforts of the Libyan leaders to overcome divisions and move towards unity,” he said.
“The United States will be at the forefront of efforts to support Libyan unity and create the conditions for a democratically elected government to lead Libya forward.”
In April, the U.S. supported a joint operation agreement between the two rival governments in Libya. The agreement covered the salaries of government employees and the National Oil Corporation.
The US is also pushing for military cooperation between the governments of eastern and western Libya. Last year, soldiers loyal to both governments participated in joint exercises with US forces in the coastal city of Sirte.
Libya descended into chaos and civil strife after NATO-backed rebels ousted the former leader. Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The fractious regime began in 2014, when Libyans elected a legislative body, called the House of Representatives, where there were few returns amid clashes between the armed forces.
The High Court in Tripoli has declared that the House of Representatives, which moved to eastern Libya after the forces seized Tripoli, is invalid.
But the legislative body was not finished. Instead, it supported the eastern government, supported by the LNA, formed by Khalifa Haftar, Saddam’s father.
The elder Haftar was a major in the Libyan army under Gaddafi, but he left and moved to the US in 1990 after being captured by the Chadian army during the war between Chad and Libya.
He has been in charge of eastern Libya since the LNA consolidated power in the region after 2016.
In 2019, the LNA launched a campaign to capture Tripoli. It reached the capital, but its profits were quickly returned by soldiers loyal to the internationally recognized government.
A ceasefire between the two sides was reached in 2020, but the country remained divided between the two governments and conflicts continued in Libya.
Saddam Haftar, who is the successor to the LNA leadership after his father, has been meeting with regional and international officials in recent weeks, including Egypt’s defense minister and the French president. Emmanuel Macron.
US Presidential Administration Donald Trump has expanded Washington’s efforts in the oil-rich North African nation, and White House adviser Massad Boulos is leading the way to bring the two rival governments together.
Boulos told Al Hadath TV on Friday that the Libyan parties will be invited to Washington, DC, to sign a final agreement in front of Trump, if one is reached.
“The United States will continue its efforts to help the Libyan people, who have experienced 15 years of war and division,” Boulos said in a social media post.
