Summary:

In early December 2024, the head of the Security Unit of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Khaled Haftar, met with a high-level delegation of the US Army in Benghazi to discuss counterterrorism and other security issues of mutual interest.  

The meeting comes four days after a previous meeting of the US delegation with Chief of Staff Khaled Haftar and the Secretary-General of the Libyan National Army General Command, Lieutenant General Khairi Al-Tamimi and as well. 

The American and Libyan representatives at the meetings affirmed an interest in enhancing security and military cooperation and exchanging expertise via joint training and assistance in combating terrorism.  

Both parties recalled the importance of US-Libya cooperation to achieve security and stability in the region. 

Meanwhile, the Tripoli-based government arrested three Russians in Tripoli over suspicions of belonging to foreign mercenary group prompting Russian diplomacy to ask its citizens not to travel to Libya, saying that it remains a highly instable country.  

Outlook: 

Consecutive meetings between senior representatives of the National Libyan Army and the US Army point to the importance of eastern Libya to current US policy and security goals in North Africa. 

The US is likely seeking to contain Russian influence in Libya by soliciting the Haftar family and their allies to distance themselves from Russian paramilitary and military groups while offering a US-oriented alternative for security cooperation. 

The US and other Western countries are likely to seek to capitalize on the perceived Russian setbacks in Syria after the fall of Russian ally Bashar al-Assad. With a regional reshuffle of alliances, powers, and proxies, the Russians may be vulnerable to being pushed back in Libya. 

While Russian relations with the Tripoli-based government have been deteriorating, further deterioration of its ties with the Haftar clan will hurt its overall posture in Africa, which most Western countries will view as a strategic victory.  

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