The US top diplomat commends Libyan leaders’ efforts to ‘overcome divisions’ after talks with LNA’s Saddam Haftar.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has met a top official from the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), which backs the government in eastern Libya and is competing for power with the internationally recognised authorities in the capital, Tripoli.
The talks between Rubio and Deputy Commander Saddam Haftar on Monday come amid Washington’s deepening involvement in attempting to resolve the political crisis in the North African country.
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The US State Department, in a statement, said Rubio and Haftar “discussed ongoing Libyan-led efforts to unify the country’s military, economic, and political institutions” and the “possible avenues for cooperation to advance unity and peace in Libya”.
“The Secretary expressed appreciation for the efforts of Libyan leaders to overcome divisions and move toward unity,” the statement added.
“The United States will remain at the forefront of diplomatic efforts to support Libyan unity and create the conditions for a democratically elected government able to lead Libya forward.”
In April, the US helped broker an agreement for unified spending between the two competing governments in Libya. The deal covered wages for public sector employees and the National Oil Corporation.
The US is also pushing to establish military cooperation between the governments in eastern and western Libya. Last year, forces loyal to both governments participated in joint drills with the US military in the central coastal city of Sirte.
Libya descended into chaos and civil strife after a NATO-backed armed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The current fractured governance traces back to 2014, when Libyans elected a new legislative body, dubbed the House of Representatives, with a low turnout amid clashes between armed groups.
A top court in Tripoli declared the House of Representatives, which had moved to eastern Libya after armed groups took over Tripoli, invalid.
But the legislative body did not dissolve. Instead, it backed a rival government in the east, which was then supported by the LNA, formed by Khalifa Haftar, Saddam’s father.
The older Haftar had served as a senior officer in the Libyan army under Gaddafi, but he defected and moved to the US in 1990 after he was captured by Chadian forces during fighting between Chad and Libya.
He has been the de facto ruler of eastern Libya since his LNA consolidated power in the region after 2016.
In 2019, the LNA mounted a campaign to capture Tripoli. It reached the capital, but its gains were quickly rolled back by forces loyal to the internationally recognised government.
A ceasefire between the two sides was reached in 2020, but the country remained divided between the two governments and clashes continued to regularly break out across Libya.
Saddam Haftar, who is the heir apparent to lead the LNA after his father, has been meeting with top officials across the region and the world in recent weeks, including Egypt’s defence minister and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has deepened Washington’s diplomatic efforts in the oil-rich North African country, with White House adviser Massad Boulos leading an initiative to unify the two competing governments.
Boulos told Al Hadath TV on Friday that the Libyan sides would be invited to Washington, DC, to sign a final agreement in the presence of Trump, should one be reached.
“The United States will continue its efforts to support the Libyan people, who have suffered 15 years of war and division,” Boulos said in a social media post.
