The United Nations has called for restraint after the Tripoli-based government in Libya placed its forces on high alert, anticipating an attack from fighters loyal to eastern military leader Khalifa Haftar in the southern desert region.
Libya, a nation rich in energy resources, has been mired in conflict since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi. The country remains divided between the UN-recognised government in Tripoli in the west and a rival administration supported by Haftar, which governs from Benghazi and Tobruk in the east.
A fragile ceasefire, established in 2020 after government forces repelled a major offensive by Haftar’s troops on Tripoli, has mostly held until now.
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any provocative military actions that could jeopardise Libya’s fragile stability.
Western nations have also expressed concern over ongoing military movements in Libya’s southwest region, warning that these activities could lead to escalation and renewed violence. A joint statement from the embassies of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States highlighted the risks of further destabilisation amid the current political deadlock.
The Tripoli-based government’s general staff announced on Thursday that its forces were on “high alert,” prepared to “repel any possible attack.” Reports from Libyan media suggest that Haftar’s forces may be targeting the strategic oasis town of Ghadames, near Libya’s western border, and its airport—an operation analysts warn could shatter the 2020 ceasefire agreement.
Emad Badi, a Libya specialist at the Atlantic Council, noted that Haftar’s mobilization has alarmed government-held areas in western Libya, with many fearing it could be the precursor to a larger offensive on Tripoli. He added that if Haftar’s Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) were to capture Ghadames, it would likely signal the end of the ceasefire.
On Tuesday, Saddam Haftar, son of Khalifa Haftar and commander of the LAAF, announced the launch of an operation to “secure the country’s southern borders and strengthen stability in these strategic areas.”
The Tripoli-based High State Council (HSC), which serves as an upper house of parliament, expressed deep concern over the military mobilizations in the southwest, accusing Haftar of seeking to expand his influence and control over strategic border areas with Tunisia and Algeria. The HSC warned that these movements could reignite armed conflict and pose a direct threat to the existing ceasefire.
In a video released on Friday, pro-Haftar forces did not specifically mention Ghadames, instead stating their intention to “secure” several remote oasis towns already under their control in the eastern region.