The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) says further cooperation with Saddam Haftar is "impossible" after allegations linked him to drone attacks on fuel infrastructure in western Libya, derailing a US-backed plan to unify the country's fractured institutions.
Saddam Haftar serves as deputy commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), the military force led by his father, warlord Khalifa Haftar. Western media reports allege that Saddam Haftar oversaw a "terror cell" responsible for launching drone strikes on fuel storage facilities and power stations in western Libya, according to The Guardian.
The GNU, based in Tripoli and internationally recognized as Libya's legitimate government, has cited these allegations as grounds to halt the unified security and political integration talks with the LNA. The breakdown marks a significant setback for US diplomatic efforts. American officials had positioned Saddam Haftar as a key figure in plans to merge Libya's competing security forces, judicial systems and political structures, which remain fractured after years of civil conflict.
Libya has endured competing governments and armed groups since 2014, when the internationally recognized authority in the east split from the Tripoli-based administration. Khalifa Haftar leads the LNA, which controls much of eastern and central Libya and is backed by regional powers including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. The GNU represents the UN-recognized government in Tripoli and is supported by Turkey and Qatar.
Previous attempts at unification through UN-mediated negotiations have repeatedly stalled. The latest effort, which incorporated the Haftars' involvement and carried explicit US backing, represented hopes that security sector reforms could create pathways to broader political reconciliation.
The allegations against Saddam Haftar, if substantiated, would complicate efforts to integrate the LNA into any unified Libyan security apparatus. Attacks on critical energy infrastructure have damaged Libya's already fragile economy and deepened the humanitarian crisis affecting civilians.
The GNU's statement that working with Saddam Haftar is now "impossible" indicates the collapse of this particular unification track, though the broader conflict between rival Libyan power centers remains unresolved.