Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA), oversaw advanced live-fire military exercises conducted by the 123rd Commando Battalion of the Tariq Bin Ziyad Brigade, as security tensions continue to rise in southern Libya.
The drills included storming simulated targets, clearing closed buildings, and carrying out coordinated tactical maneuvers across diverse operational environments.
The exercises were designed to enhance field readiness, improve rapid deployment capabilities, and strengthen combat coordination under realistic battlefield conditions. The Tariq Bin Ziyad Brigade is regarded as one of the LNA’s most structured and combat-ready units, operating extensively in eastern Libya and the southern region of Fezzan.
The exercises come amid renewed attacks targeting LNA forces in the south. On February 27, an unidentified drone reportedly struck a convoy belonging to the 604th Brigade traveling from Sirte toward the Niger border.
The attack was attributed to an armed group led by Baraka Wardougou Al-Tabawi, also known as Mohammed Wardougou, head of what is referred to as the Southern Liberation Operations Room. The strike reportedly resulted in casualties among LNA personnel.
In response, the LNA carried out airstrikes against positions linked to the same militia group, according to statements from the military media office.
Although relative calm was reported the following morning, forces remain on high alert across the southern axis, which is considered strategically vital due to its proximity to cross-border smuggling routes and porous desert frontiers.
Southern Libya has long faced security challenges, including armed group activity, tribal tensions, and trafficking networks operating across the Sahara. Military officials describe the recent drills as part of broader efforts to reinforce operational preparedness and maintain control over critical transit corridors.