East and west Libyan leaders discuss national security framework
Military leaders from east and west Libya met on October 27th to discuss the development of a unified national security framework, according to the Libya Review.
Chief of General staff of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khaled Haftar, met with several military and security chiefs from the western city of Misrata.
The main objective of the discussions was to bolster inter-factional coordination to a high enough degree that would establish an entirely autonomous and unified state authority entirely independent from external interference.
During the meeting, the parties agreed to set up a joint force that would counter terrorism and illegal migration through the country, which is currently a major migrant trafficking artery into Europe.
Khaled urged Libyans to see past their political differences and focus their efforts on reconstruction and unification. He proclaimed that “true patriots will never abandon their homeland, no matter how long the struggle.”
As noble and well-intentioned Khaled’s intentions may appear, the current geopolitical climate in the country offers him and his father Khalifa Haftar, who is the de facto leader of eastern Libya, an opportunity to consolidate power at the expense of their western administrative rival, which is losing political legitimacy within Libya.
The preliminary talks were held amid a turbulent security situation in western Libya and an increasingly fragile UN-led transitional process which is being fragmented by resentment over perceived external interference.
Western Libya, which is controlled by the UN-backed and Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) has witnessed multiple violent clashes throughout 2025 between armed groups, who nominally share loyalty to the western government, vying for power.
GNU Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh has borne the brunt of the blame for the regions deteriorating stability because of his inability to rein in the increasingly belligerent militias that are ostensibly under his authority.
Dbeibeh’s failure to follow through on his intent to dismantle and monopolise the groups by integrating them into state institutions has substantially undermined his authority in parliament. In early September, 40 ministers in Libya’s House of Representatives voted for his immediate resignation.
Moreover, the Libyan government recently sent a letter to the UN expressing its “deepest condemnation and concern” over the international body’s extensive involvement in the nation’s transitional process.
It accused the UN mission to Libya (UNSMIL) of infringing on Libyan sovereignty by failing to adhere to the principle of impartiality and adopting a politicised stance when working with the judiciary.
Within this growing climate of distrust towards western Libyan institutions’ capacity to secure a unified and sovereign state, the Haftar family may be looking to capitalise on a potential power shift.
Soon after UNSMIL announced a new transitional roadmap, Khalifa appointed his eldest son Saddam to the position of Deputy General Commander of the LNA. He also promoted Khaled to Chief of Staff of the eastern forces. Analysts see these appointments as an attempt by Khalifa to establish long-term institutional influence across Libya.
The odds certainly seem to be shifting in his favour as he has experienced a surge in diplomatic momentum, which has frequently sidelined the western government.
On August 25th, Khalifa hosted Turkey’s National Intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, who is widely seen as Turkish President Erdogan’s most powerful and trusted political ally.
On September 8th, the Atlantic Council argued that Kalin’s decision to visit eastern Libya without stopping in Tripoli symbolised Dbeibeh’s waning legitimacy, especially since Turkey has long been the GNU’s principal backer.
The Atlantic Council further revealed that Khalifa had also met with American, French and Italian representatives. It argued that “the timing of both his ‘dynastic’ appointments and these high-level diplomatic contacts together suggests [Khalifa] Haftar’s aims of establishing a long-term hold on power for himself and his family.”
Libya Review, Maghrebi.org, The Soufan Centre, Atlantic Council, Libya Observer
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