Libya’s East and West Army Chiefs Set for Paris Talks

Martyred Pan-Africanist Leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi assassinated by imperialism in 2011.

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Anadolu Agency

4 Nov 2026 16:42

The planned meeting would follow talks in Luanda in June and Sirte in July, as efforts to unify Libya’s divided military institution continue.

Libyan military sources have told Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency that an unannounced meeting is expected between the chiefs of staff of western and eastern Libya, under French sponsorship, to discuss the latest developments in efforts to unify the country’s military institutions.

In further detail, Salah al-Din al-Namroush, Chief of the General Staff of Libya’s Government of National Unity, and Khaled Haftar, Chief of Staff of the forces of the General Command in the east of the country, have reportedly arrived in France, with talks between them expected under French sponsorship on unifying the divided military institution.

Meeting to discuss several files

The Government of National Unity said in a statement on Tuesday that French Chief of the Defense Staff Fabien Mandon received al-Namroush, in the presence of a number of officials and officers, at the start of an official visit to France.

The statement said the visit falls within the framework of consultations between the two countries and the discussion of several files and issues of mutual interest, reflecting the importance of communication and coordination between the two sides.

At the same time, Haftar arrived in the French capital on an official visit, during which he is expected to meet the French chief of the defence staff, according to Benghazi TV, which is close to the General Command in eastern Libya.

The channel said the planned meeting would address military cooperation and ways to strengthen coordination and exchange expertise in defense fields, as well as security issues of mutual concern amid the challenges facing the region.

Both Chiefs arrive in France ahead of expected talks

Libyan military sources also told Anadolu that talks between al-Namroush and Haftar are expected in Paris, under French sponsorship and with Mandon in attendance.

The sources said the meeting would review the latest developments in the file on unifying Libya’s divided military institution and follow up on practical steps taken to that end. They stressed that the meeting would not be official, giving no details on when it would take place.

Al-Namroush and Haftar have met twice already this year. The first meeting took place in Luanda last June, on the sidelines of the African Chiefs of Defense Staff Conference, where they also held a meeting with the commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), Dagvin Anderson.

A push to unify Libya’s military

The second meeting was held in the Libyan city of Sirte last July, with the participation of members of the Joint Military Commission (5+5) and the (3+3) committee, to discuss steps to unify the military institution and strengthen security coordination.

Efforts to unify the military institution are being conducted under the auspices of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, through the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, which comprises five military representatives, each from eastern and western Libya.

It is worth noting that the UN mission is reportedly leading efforts to end the political division and hold long-delayed elections, with the aim of renewing the legitimacy of institutions and unifying them.