Paris recently hosted a technical meeting involving representatives from France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Italy to discuss forming a joint military force in Libya, according to NOVA sources
The sources revealed that this meeting was held at the request of the United States and aimed to explore and study joint projects for a unified Libyan armed force.
This force would involve the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC), composed of senior officials from both eastern and western Libya. “It was a highly exploratory meeting at a technical level, with no significant developments so far,” a Libyan source told NOVA, adding that it was not a response to Russian maneuvers in Libya. “It was a very low-level meeting and had nothing to do with the Russians,” the source concluded.
Libyan press outlets reported that the United States and France are leading efforts to unify Libyan armed forces. However, this attempt has raised suspicions among influential armed groups in Tripoli’s “city-states” such as Misrata, Zintan, and Zawiya, which have had significant roles in the delicate political and military balance in Libya since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.
Since the ceasefire agreement in October 2020, France has sought to unite Western and Eastern forces under a joint security unit to protect its interests in the resource-rich but underserved region of Fezzan in southern Libya.
This region, rich in hydrocarbons, gold, and rare earth elements, is also a major hub for illicit trafficking, including humans, drugs, fuel, weapons, and cigarettes. This initiative failed “due to French objectives that did not align with Libyan security needs.”
The article further explained that Paris had promoted the idea of a “mini-security summit focused on Libya,” led by French President’s special advisor Paul Soler, with participation from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Italy.
The French website “Africa Intelligence” reported that Paris intended to “host representatives from the foreign and defense ministries of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy” to discuss integrating armed groups and removing foreign mercenaries, including the Russian Wagner Group.
However, NOVA sources downplayed the event as a low-level technical meeting, primarily driven by the United States, which has so far received limited follow-up.
Libya has been in turmoil since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. The country has been split between rival factions, with the Government of National Unity (GNU) based in Tripoli in the west and a rival administration in the east.
The 5+5 Joint Military Commission, formed as part of the 2020 ceasefire agreement, includes five senior military officers from each side and aims to oversee the unification of the country’s armed forces.
The involvement of foreign powers, including France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy, highlights the international dimension of Libya’s conflict and the geopolitical interests at play. The presence of foreign mercenaries, such as the Russian Wagner Group, further complicates the situation, making the unification of Libyan armed forces a complex and delicate process.
