The media division of General Command of the Libyan National Army (LNA) announced on Saturday the successful rescue of a group of soldiers who were captured during an armed attack by Chadian opposition fighters on a security checkpoint near Libya’s southern border.
In an official statement, the General Command confirmed that the freed soldiers are in good health and are currently receiving the necessary medical care. The attack, which took place earlier in the week, resulted in the death of Hamid Aguila Al-Oriebi, a member of the 676th Infantry Battalion under the Libyan Army’s Ground Forces Command.
According to the statement, Libyan forces inflicted heavy losses on the attacking group, capturing its leader and several of its key members during the counter-operation. Reconnaissance units are continuing to pursue remaining fighters in nearby areas and are monitoring suspicious movements to prevent any further incursions.
The southern border region, particularly areas near the triangle connecting Libya, Chad, and Sudan, has seen increasing instability in recent years, with repeated clashes involving rebel groups, smugglers, and extremist elements taking advantage of the porous and largely unmonitored desert terrain.
On Friday evening, a military funeral was held for the fallen soldier Hamid Al-Aribi at the Al-Israa wal-Mi’raj Mosque in the city of Ajdabiya. The ceremony was attended by local residents, fellow soldiers, and several military and civilian figures, who paid their respects to a soldier who died in defense of Libyan sovereignty.
The Libyan Armed Forces under the General Command have repeatedly called for stronger coordination in securing the southern border zones, which are critical not only to Libya’s national security but also to the broader Sahel-Sahara region. Analysts note that militant and opposition groups from neighboring states frequently use these border areas for shelter, regrouping, and launching cross-border raids.
The military emphasized its ongoing commitment to tracking down hostile elements and defending Libya’s borders against foreign armed groups operating outside the framework of the law.
