Benghazi— The Libyan National Army (LNA) has formed a joint military force with the Chadian Army aiming at securing the shared border against outlawed gangs, human traffickers, arms smugglers and bandits. The move highlights a great deal of coordination with Libya’s neighbors and the LNA’s strong control of the security situation in southern parts of the country that until recently have been insecure.
The Libyan and Chadian cooperation in this remote area will enhance the security of both countries as well as the security of the African continent in general. The LNA has succeeded so far in bringing about peace, security and stability in southern Libya after more than 14 years of violence and instability.
The joint military force was initiated by the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the LNA, Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar. General Haftar made a number of official visits to Chad recently during which he held talks with the Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby focused on bilateral cooperation and border security.
The LNA tasked the Desert Patrols of Subul Al-Salam Battalion with carrying out field operations along with the Chadian Army’s unit within the joint military force, according to a statement by the LNA.
The announcement of the joint force’s formation came after an extensive field tour conducted by General Saddam to border regions in the far southwest, south, southeast, and east of Libya. The tour included the cities of Ghat, Ubari, Qatrun, Murzuq, Kufra, the Oases, Jaghbub, and Musaid, as well as security posts and land crossings along the borders with Algeria, Niger, Chad, Sudan, and Egypt.