On 5 May, Government of National Unity (GNU) Ministry of Defense Undersecretary for Regions and Military Affairs Lieutenant General Abdul Salam Zoubi attended the opening of SAHA EXPO 2026 in Istanbul at the official invitation of Turkey’s Ministry of Defense. Libya’s Defense Ministry said the participation reflects the country’s aim to deepen military‑technical cooperation with Turkey, stay aligned with modern defense developments and strengthen strategic partnerships with friendly states.
Libyan National Army (LNA) Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar also participated in the opening ceremony at an official invitation of the Turkish Ministry of Defense.
Both Zoubi and Haftar led senior delegations from the GNU MoD and the LNA General Command respectively, touring company pavilions and reviewing the latest weapons systems, aviation technologies, and advanced defense platforms.
On the sidelines of the exhibition, Zoubi and Haftar met each other for brief talks, hosted by Turkish Minister of Defense Yaşar Güler.
İbrahim Kalın, Director of the National Intelligence Organization of Turkey (Millî İstihbarat Teşkilatı (MİT)) had a longer meeting with Zoubi and Haftar, where they discussed primarily security issues.
During the visit, Zoubi and Haftar held a series of – separate – high‑level meetings with Turkish officials, including Chief of the Turkish General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu.
Saddam Haftar also met Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of Baykar, who presented him with a model of the Kızılelma semi‑stealth combat drone, expected to enter service this year fueling speculation in the media about potential LNA interest, especially given earlier acquisitions of Baykar drones such as the Bayraktar TB2 and – possibly – Akıncı.
On 8 May, Saddam Haftar also participated in the closing ceremony of SAHA EXPO 2026, where he managed to get a handshake from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.