Libya: US General Meets Haftar Amid Tensions Between Governments

Gen. Michael Langley, who serves with the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and Jeremy Bendett, the U.S. charge d’affaires in Tripoli, met in Benghazi on Tuesday with Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the head of the U.N. peacekeeping force. The U.S. embassy said via X (Above, Libyan National Army via Reuters) The Libyan National Army is a major backer of one of Libya’s two rival governments.

Washington urges “all” parties in Libya to engage “constructively in dialogue” in order to “preserve stability” and avoid further “escalation of current tensions”, with the contribution of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL in English, MANUL in French). The US diplomatic mission said.

The United Nations and the United States called on the two parties to hold a dialogue in order to “calm down” the crisis.

.@USAfricaCommand General Langley and Chargé d’Affaires Berndt met today with Libyan National Army Commander Haftar in #Benghazi To discuss the United States’ commitment to strengthening our partnership with Libyans from across the country, as well as U.S. support for Libyan efforts to achieve peace and stability in Libya. pic.twitter.com/VjvlL2fOt9

— US Embassy in Libya (@USEmbassyLibya) August 27, 2024

The meeting was held against the backdrop of the suspension of a large part of the country’s oil and gas exports, following the decision of the internationally recognized Government of National Unity to dismiss the governor of the Central Bank of Libya.

The head of Libya’s eastern parliament, Aguila Saleh, said on Tuesday that the country’s oil and gas exports will not resume until the central bank governor is reinstated.

Most of the country’s oil infrastructure is in the east, and the government based there, a rival to KEE, this week announced a suspension of oil and gas flows, following the decision to remove KTL leader Sadiq Kabir from his post since 2012.

After Libya fell into chaos following the fall and death of dictator Muammar Gaddafi, there are two rival governments in Libya, the government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, in the western part of the country, and a rival in the eastern part, supported by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

risk of “collapse”

The United Nations and the United States yesterday called on “all” parties in Libya to hold an “urgent” dialogue in order to “calm down” the crisis caused by the dismissal of the leader.

The Dbeibah government has criticised the governor of Libya’s Central Credit Corporation – which manages public revenues – for showing favouritism towards Field Marshal Haftar’s camp.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL in English, MANUL in French) has described talks to resolve the crisis as a “necessity,” warning of the “risk of financial and economic collapse” in the North African country.

Source: Accuracy