On 18 May, Libyan National Army (LNA) Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Khaled Haftar inspected the LNA’s training manoeuvres “Shield of Dignity [Karma] 2”. During his inspection, Khaled Haftar also held a meeting with the commander of the 309th Infantry Division and the commanders of the subordinated units participating in the exercise. He hailed ‘the strong performance of the participating forces, stressing that modern armed forces are built through sustained training, strict discipline, and steadily improving military proficiency’.
On 19 May, LNA Commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, his deputy Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Khaled Haftar and National Security Advisor Lieutenant General Abdulrazek al-Nadhouri visited a joint and combined arms demonstration exercise at Ras al-Albah training range (near al-Ezzeiat, about 60 km south of Derna). In his speech, the elder Haftar emphasized that this exercise is part of his 2030 Vision for the development and modernization of the armed forces, contributing to the building of a modern and strong army capable of facing all challenges, maintaining security and stability, and safeguarding national sovereignty. Throughout the visit, al-Nadhouri, who has been increasingly sidelined since Khaled Haftar took over as Chief of Staff of the LNA, walked next to Khalifa, in front of Saddam and Khaled.
On 20 May, the House of Representatives (HoR) praised “Shield of Dignity [Al Karama] 2” as clear evidence of rising military readiness and the professionalization of the LNA. The HoR reaffirmed support for the military’s role in safeguarding sovereignty and stability, noting that the large scale manoeuvres demonstrated the institution’s growing ability to conduct organized, efficient operations—including urban warfare.
On 21 May, Saddam and Khaled Haftar visited together the naval part of the exercise, accompanied by Chief of Staff of the Navy Vice Admiral Shoaib Yusuf al Saber. They observed an amphibious landing exercise near Tobruq.