Libyan General Khalifa Haftar Visits Russian Capital
The Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army, General Khalifa Haftar, visited Moscow, where he had a long conversation with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. During the meeting, “the current situation and prospects for the development of cooperation between Libya and the Russian Federation were analyzed.” In 1983, still under the Soviet Union, Haftar graduated from the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow.
Relations between Haftar and Russia have become particularly intense in recent months. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov brought a large military delegation to Libya on August 22. This was the first official visit there by the Russian Ministry of Defense. According to a report from Moscow, “Haftar and Yevkurov discussed cooperation between the two countries in the fight against international terrorism and some other issues of mutual interest.” Immediately after the visit of the Russian delegation, on August 27, “units of the Libyan National Army led by General Haftar launched a large and precise military operation in the southern border region in order to protect the borders of the state, its potential, and the safety of its citizens, and also as part of the ongoing expansion of its control and influence on the entire territory of Libya.”
As Haftar’s spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari explained, “the military operation was aimed at the southwestern region near the borders with Chad and Niger.” He was referring to the launch of a ground and air campaign against Chadian opposition groups in the Libyan historical region of Fezzan.
Libya has been in political crisis since 2011. The UN has recognized the legitimacy of the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, whose power, however, is disputed by General Haftar, who controls the eastern part of the country (Benghazi, Tobruk). Based on the UN embargo, arms supplies are limited to the Government of National Unity in Tripoli. Several countries, including Italy, were accused of “failure to comply with the terms of the UN embargo.”
