قطاعة الخضر
وفر 22%! اشترِ قطاعة الخضر بسعر 250 د.ل فقط في ليبيا. متوفر حالياً، الدفع عند ال
🛒 تسوق الآنLibya's Rival Armies Train Together in Turkey for Second Time in Weeks
Libya's Rival Armies Train Together in Turkey for Second Time in Weeks
May 20, 2026 — LibyaPress
For the second time in just weeks, military personnel from Libya's rival eastern and western factions are training side by side — this time in a major Turkish-led military exercise that analysts say marks a critical milestone toward the long-elusive goal of a unified Libyan military.
EFES-2026: A Landmark Joint Exercise
The Turkish Efes-2026 exercise, coordinated by the Aegean Army Command in Izmir, brought together 331 personnel from the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) and 177 personnel from the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) forces. The fast-attack craft Shafak also participated from the Libyan side.
The exercise's Computer-Assisted Command Post Phase ran from April 11-17, with Distinguished Observer Day activities in Istanbul and Izmir. The live field phase is scheduled between April 20 and May 21.
"The fact that eastern and western Libyan elements have, for the first time, come together under the same exercise framework is being viewed as a critical milestone for the vision of a 'single and unified Libya,'" a Turkish defense ministry statement read.
More Than Military Cooperation
Turkey's Ministry of Defense described the joint participation as "an important step not only in military cooperation, but also in strengthening unity, cohesion and institutional alignment in Libya." Ankara continues to pursue its "One Army, One Libya" approach, supporting the country's unity and stability across both regions.
The drills represent the second instance in a short period where Libya's rival factions participated in the same multinational exercise — an indication of accelerating rapprochement between the two sides.
Following Flintlock-2026
The Turkish exercises follow the recent Flintlock-2026 multinational special forces exercise organized by U.S. Africa Command in Sirte, Libya, which also included forces from both eastern and western Libya. That exercise, held April 13-30 in Libya and Côte d'Ivoire, saw participation from the United States, Turkey, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Egypt, Tunisia, Chad, Hungary, and Libya.
Notably, AFRICOM stated that for the first time, Libya hosted an operating location with joint forces training alongside one another. These efforts are supported by the 3+3 Libyan Joint Military Committee.
What This Means
Analysts view the back-to-back joint exercises as an indication of gradual but real progress toward greater military communication and institutional coordination between the rival authorities in eastern Libya and Tripoli. While political divisions remain deep, the military-to-military cooperation suggests both sides — and their international backers — are increasingly aligned on the need for a unified security structure.
The participation of both factions in multinational exercises under Turkish and American supervision signals that the international community is actively working to bridge Libya's security divide, one drill at a time.
