The Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, is deepening military cooperation with Belarus, as the army celebrated the graduation of a new unit trained in Belarus.
The LNA’s Military Information Division announced the completion of training for the 87th Rapid Intervention Battalion, following a year-long programme in Belarus. The courses included counterterrorism operations, advanced sniping, mortar deployment, and building assault tactics. Trainees also conducted live-fire drills and airborne parachute exercises.
A graduation ceremony in Belarus was attended by senior Libyan military figures, among them Ground Forces Chief of Staff Major General Abdelsalam al-Hassi and Training Department Director Major General Jamal Farhat. The battalion’s commander, Brigadier Abdelmonem Atbeega, and senior officers from the LNA’s Special Forces also took part.
Belarusian Deputy Defence Minister Lieutenant General Alexander Viktorovich Nomenko represented his government at the event, underscoring Minsk’s role as a growing military partner for the LNA.
This marks the second Libyan unit to complete training in Belarus this year, following the graduation of the 36th Commando Battalion in March. Both developments came after Haftar’s official visit to Minsk in February, where he discussed defence cooperation, including Libyan Air Force upgrades and the servicing of Russian-made MiG fighter jets.
Analysts say the partnership reflects Haftar’s efforts to diversify his military alliances beyond traditional backers. While the LNA has historically relied on support from countries such as Egypt and Russia, Belarus now appears to be playing a growing role in shaping its military training and modernisation.
The deepening ties highlight Belarus’s ambition to expand its influence abroad, while offering the LNA advanced capabilities at a time when Libya continues to face persistent security instability.
