Khalifa Haftar

The UAE has emerged as a major regional power through military interventions in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan, strategic investments in infrastructure and defense, and alliances with global powers. However, shifting geopolitical dynamics, including U.S. disengagement and regional power vacuums, raise questions about the sustainability of its assertive strategy.

US envoy Massad Boulos's efforts to reunify Libya's divided institutions through a diplomatic initiative face growing resistance from rival leaders and factions, despite meetings with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and other officials. No clear roadmap for unification has emerged, and the only progress made was a unified budget in April, with further developments stalled.

Trump's administration is brokering a power-sharing deal between Libya's rival leaders Khalifa Haftar and Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibah to end the country's 15-year conflict. Critics argue the deal prioritizes short-term stability and U.S. oil interests over a long-term political resolution, with Trump adviser Massad Boulos facilitating negotiations between the factions.

The UAE and Khalifa Haftar's Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) are accused of continuing support for Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) through training camps and logistical aid in Libya, despite denials from both parties. An investigation revealed RSF fighters trained in Libya using UAE-supplied weapons, with defectors confirming Emirati involvement in supply chains.

The Eastern Libyan government released 10 activists detained by Khalifa Haftar's forces after a month in captivity. The activists, part of the Global Sumud Convoy, were arrested near Sirte while attempting to travel to Gaza and later deported following a court ruling.

A decade after battles reduced the University of Benghazi to rubble, students are optimistic about the future. The university, Libya's oldest and largest, became a site of conflict between jihadist groups and forces led by Khalifa Haftar after the 2011 uprisings that toppled Muammar Gaddafi. Nearly 70,000 students now attend classes in temporary facilities while a new campus is set to open in autumn.

Rights groups demand the release of 10 pro-Gaza activists detained by Khalifa Haftar's Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) since May 24. The activists, from countries including Spain, Poland, and the United States, were part of the Global Sumud Convoy attempting to deliver aid to Gaza. They went on hunger strike to protest detention without legal access and face charges of 'assembly without authorisation'.

Libyan forces loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar detained activists from a land convoy attempting to deliver aid to Gaza at a checkpoint in Sirte. The incident highlights tensions over humanitarian efforts in conflict zones.