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Or sign-in if you have an account.The Libyan National Army is conducting one of its biggest military exercise yet, which one senior general said is 'a message to our friends and our foes." Photo by Abdullah DOMA /AFPThe Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Marshall Khalifa Haftar and controlling southern and eastern Libya, is conducting what officers describe as its biggest military exercise yet — and a message for both friends and foes.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorAt the entrance of a sprawling military encampment some 100 kilometres away from Derna, a towering portrait of Haftar overlooked the scene.The sand whipped across a barren landscape as armoured vehicles sped along.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe two-week exercises, which AFP journalists were permitted to observe during a visit over the weekend, will culminate on May 19 to mark the anniversary of the LNA’s 2014 “Operation Dignity” campaign against jihadist groups, including the Islamic State, in Benghazi.The campaign allowed Haftar’s forces to wrest control over the east and ultimately parts of southern Libya.Haftar, 82, and his sons — including Saddam, his heir apparent — will attend the display of firepower on May 19, along with foreign and Libyan officials. A billboard showing an image of Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar is erected on top of a military building close to the “Dara’ al-Karama 2” military exercises, conducted by the Libyan National Army (LNA), under the command of Field Marshal Haftar, in the Ras al-Alba region in southeastern Libya on May 16, 2026. (Abdullah DOMA/AFP) Photo by Abdullah DOMA /AFPThe drills have deployed a panoply of military hardware — including tank formations and Russian-made Pantsir air-defence systems — with over 25,000 troops, said General Omar Mrajah Al Jedid, the officer overseeing the exercises.General Abdallah Noureddine, another senior commander supervising operations near the village of El Ezzeiat, told AFP the manoeuvres were “a message for our friends and our foes.”Several reports have said that the United States, through Trump’s senior adviser on Arab and African affairs Massad Boulos, is trying to promote a rapprochement between Libya’s eastern and western authorities, signalling a potential shift in power structures.The legislative bodies of both authorities last month signed a U.S.-mediated agreement to unify public spending across the divided country for the first time in over a decade.‘Army for all Libyans’ Members of the Libyan navy take part in the “Dara’ al-Karama 2” military exercises. (Abdullah DOMA/AFP) Photo by Abdullah DOMA /AFPLibya has remained fractured since chaos broke loose following the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.The oil-rich country remains divided between a UN-recognized government based in its capital, Tripoli, and an eastern administration in Benghazi backed by Haftar.Haftar’s forces attempted to seize Tripoli in 2019 but failed after a year of armed conflict. Since then, a change of tack appears to have taken place.General Noureddine said the LNA has focused less on outright conquest and more on showcasing its control over the east and south of the country, all while “wishing the same for the rest of Libya.”Human rights groups, however, have over the years accused forces linked to Haftar of arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, and centralizing power only within the Haftar clan.General Al Jedid said the military drills would also demonstrate the army’s capacity to “safeguard the interests of all Libyans.” Vessels of the Libyan navy take part in the “Dara’ al-Karama 2” military exercises on Saturday. Libya is still divided between the UN-recognized government in the west and its eastern rival in the east, backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar. (Abdullah DOMA/AFP) Photo by Abdullah DOMA /AFPThe LNA is capable of “protecting the borders from all attacks,” he added, citing threats from “smugglers or terrorist groups currently moving through Mali, Niger and other countries in attempts to enter Libya.”Responding to critiques on whether the force represents Libya as a whole, Al Jedid — himself from Tripoli and a former officer under Gaddafi — said the army did not serve only Haftar and eastern Libya.“This is not a private army,” he said. “It’s not Marshall Haftar’s army, nor an army for the east, west or south. It’s the army of all Libyans, tribes and families.”Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. 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