On 9 December, US AFRICOM published a video about AFRICOM Commander Dagvin Anderson’s recent visit to Libya, saying they were ‘truly impressed by the Libyan armed forces at the tactical, operational and strategic levels’ adding Libya could be a regional leader for stability. They reiterated that Operation Flintlock, which will be held in Sirte in 2026, will bring together Libyan forces from both sides of the country. They reaffirmed America’s commitment to unity in Libya, saying a unified security force leads to stability which in turn leads to economic investment, which is key for Libya’s future.
On 9 – 11 December, UNSMIL and the Libya Programme of DCAF – the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, held a 3-day workshop with the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) and the Heads of the Security Arrangements Subcommittees to review progress on the implementation of the 2020 Ceasefire Agreement. The 5+5 JMC reiterated their commitment to fully implement the Ceasefire Agreement including withdrawal of the mercenaries, foreign fighters and foreign forces from Libya.
On 10 December, Libyan National Army (LNA) Deputy Commander Saddam Haftar received a high-level Jordanian military delegation in Benghazi to discuss the LNA’s training, development and capacity-building programmes.
On 16 December, the third training course for the Libyan Special Forces concluded in Italy as part of the Libyan–Italian technical agreement aimed at training officers and non-commissioned officers of the Special Forces. The course lasted eight months and included advanced training programs in special operations.
On 16 December, the UK embassy said that the Libya’s Deputy Chief of Staff had visited the UK for the first time in over a decade, visiting the Defence Academy and Sandhurst. The embassy said that Libyan officers are set to attend Sandhurst in 2026 and 2027, marking a major step in shaping Libya’s future leaders and strengthening UK-Libya ties.