On 2 June, Chatham House Senior Research Fellow Tim Eaton published a new paper exploring the nature and role of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF). Eaton argues that the LAAF remains a patchwork of diverse elements, rather than an integrated force, and that this along with the dominance of personalities rather than institutions has imperilled its gains. The recent formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the force's reliance on foreign backers are also threatening the LAAF's leader, Khalifa Haftar's, control over the East. The paper concludes with a discussion of prospects for the LAAF, which Eaton sees as dismal in Libya's current environment, and the implications of this for Western policymakers.To read the full paper, click here.
The future of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces