Khalifa Haftar’s son rises to second in command in Libyan National Army
Libyan military leader Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar appointed his son, Lt Gen Saddam Haftar, as deputy commander-in-chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA), as reported by The National on August 12.
The announcement was made on the LNA’s 85th anniversary and was presented by the eastern administration as part of a strategy to enhance the capabilities of its forces.
As stated by the eastern administration, Saddam Haftar has served in senior military positions in recent years and is expected to have a key role in the administration of key operational priorities.
Libya remains divided between two governments: the UN-recognised administration in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and the eastern-based authorities aligned with Khalifa Haftar. Both claim national legitimacy, and efforts to unify the country have repeatedly stalled.
The country remains unstable since the 2011 Nato-backed uprising that removed Muammar Qaddafi from power, with the 2014 schism between the eastern and western parts deepening divisions and fuelling conflict, until a UN-brokered truce in 2020 eased large scale fighting.
The promotion of Saddam Haftar comes amid ongoing foreign engagement in Libya, as last month, US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser for Africa, Massad Boulos, met with Khalifa Haftar and senior LNA officials in Benghazi.
Boulos also held talks with Saddam Haftar to follow up on the latter’s visit to Washington in April, discussing military co-operation and institutional unification.
In a post on X, the envoy wrote,“we discussed ways to expand co-operation and reinforce Libyan efforts to unify the military and other key institutions. I reiterated US support for Libyan unity, sovereignty, and stability.”
The National, Maghrebi.org
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