On 14 April, Exercise Flintlock 2026, US AFRICOM’s annual special forces exercise, was opened with a ceremony simultaneously in Sirte, Libya, and in Jacqueville, Côte d’Ivoire.
Approximately 1,500 soldiers from more than 30 nations participated in this year’s exercise in both locations. The senior American official in Sirte was Lieutenant General John Brennan, Deputy Commander US AFRICOM. He announced the launch of Flintlock 2026, calling it a premier special operations exercise designed to deepen cooperation among participating forces and reinforce their shared commitment to countering terrorism in Africa. He praised ‘visionary leaders on both sides’ and the work of the 3+3 Libyan Joint Military Committee, which supports Libyan joint forces efforts, for making the Libyan iteration of the exercise possible. He argued that improved security is already translating into visible gains in stability and prosperity, as reflected in the demonstrations on the ground in Libya.
On 15 April, US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos framed the joint training as a promising step toward military integration, national cohesion, and a stronger Libyan role in regional security and counterterrorism. His post congratulated Saddam Haftar and Zoubi for leading the exercise and reaffirmed continued U.S. support for strengthening Libyan institutions and advancing stability and lasting peace.