Allegations that Saddam Haftar, the son of eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar and deputy commander of the so-called Libyan National Army (LNA), oversaw a “terror cell” responsible for drone attacks on fuel storage facilities and power stations in western Libya have derailed efforts to unify the country’s institutions.
The Tripoli-based government of national unity (GNU) said the accusations make it “impossible” to continue cooperating with Saddam Haftar, effectively scuppering a US-supported merger plan aimed at bringing together competing security, judicial and political bodies across Libya.
Saddam Haftar has in recent months been viewed by US officials as a key figure in Washington’s strategy to integrate Libya’s fragmented institutions. The new allegations, however, have cast doubt on the viability of a negotiated consolidation that depended on buy-in from influential eastern commanders and their deputies.
The dispute adds to longstanding tensions between rival centres of power in Libya and threatens to slow or reverse international efforts to stabilise the country following years of conflict. Targeting of fuel and power infrastructure, if confirmed, carries direct implications for civilian services and the economic environment in western Libya.
The unfolding situation is likely to complicate diplomatic engagement by external actors who have pushed for a unified governance framework, and may intensify scrutiny of the ties between military leaders and broader political arrangements. The GNU’s statement signals a breakdown in a fragile rapprochement that had underpinned the US-backed merger initiative.