US contractors in Libya to train militias under agreement with Dbeibeh
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The US move could provide a political lifeline for the embattled Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibeh, who is facing calls from many Libyan politicians to step down.
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Dbeibeh-affiliated forces in Tripoli, Libya (AFP)
Representatives of the American military contractor Amentum have landed in Libya as part of a deal with outgoing Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibeh, Africa Intelligence reported.
The agreement entails offering training to various armed factions based in Tripoli, the capital city.
According to the report, Amentum will provide training to three distinct armed brigades in Libya: the 444th Brigade under Mahmoud Hamza's leadership, the 111th Brigade led by Zubi, and the 166th Brigade led by Al-Hisan.
The coordination of these training activities reportedly involves Amentum and the US State Department, aiming to consolidate these armed factions and assign them responsibilities, such as border security and disarmament operations. It is worth noting that the plan does not fall under the jurisdiction of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM).
The big picture
The US move could provide a political lifeline for the embattled Prime Minister Dbeibeh, who is facing calls from many Libyan politicians to step down and make way for a new government. Dbeibeh has clung to power despite failing to hold elections as originally scheduled in December 2021.
This renewed American interference in Libya’s security sector comes as Washington expresses concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s backing of Libya’s eastern forces, as well as what the US perceives as a threat posed to the US military presence in neighboring Niger by the new military junta in Niamey, according to the report.
Analysts see this as part of a broader US strategy to counter what it considers a growing Russian influence across the African continent.
Read more: Libya: More mass graves exposed as NATO-backed war nears 12-year mark
