Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the top commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), held a meeting with security chiefs to mark the 83rd anniversary of the founding of Libya’s military.
The meeting underscored Haftar’s ongoing efforts to consolidate his leadership over the country’s fragmented armed forces. Haftar praised the readiness and discipline of the security units under his command while urging the commanders to boost their capabilities moving forward.
Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar presented himself as a staunch opponent of terrorism in Libya, pledging to wipe out extremist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. In 2014, he initiated Operation Dignity, a military campaign targeting Islamist militias in Benghazi and eastern Libya.
Haftar’s forces succeeded in driving jihadist fighters out of several cities, bolstering his image as a potential leader who could defeat the peril of terrorism in Libya. Haftar gained significant popular support for his hardline stance against Islamist militancy in the region.