Southern Libya, in particular the area of al Qatrun, has long been the scene of clashes between the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, LAAF, engaged in fighting in operations against smugglers and criminals dedicated to banditry: these events are therefore part of a broad security campaign, which also involves various security services throughout the region, with the aim of protecting cities and borders. The Chadian and Nigerien opposition have ended up in the crosshairs. It should be noted that the area of al Qatrun has also been the stage for armed confrontations between the military under the command of Saddam Haftar and those loyal to al Zadma, a former leader of Haftar’s 128th Brigade. His resignation occurred in disagreement with Haftar regarding the Russian presence in Libya, particularly in the south. Also worthy of mention is the Tariq Bin Ziyad Brigade of the Libyan National Army, based in Benghazi, which, led by Saddam Haftar, helped take control of the city of al Qatrun, to the detriment of the local Tebu tribes.
Recently, during one of the many operations carried out by the LAAF, the latter found themselves having to face violent clashes with the Chadian opposition, aimed at countering illegal immigration and smuggling in al Qatrun. These events were also reported by websites linked to the pro-Chadian opposition led by Saleh Abdel Karim Habre, nephew of former President Hissène Habre. The Chadian opposition reported that it had suffered, specifically, 25 deaths and 22 injuries among its members, with heavy material losses and 22 destroyed armored vehicles. Not only that, according to some local sources, the Libyan ground forces managed to establish their control over the entire city, capturing numerous Chadian gangs and confiscating the weapons in their possession. Nonetheless, some witnesses also noticed the presence of a Leonardo SF-260 aircraft flying over al Qatrun, raising questions among the Libyans regarding a possible use of combat drones by the LAAF.
In parallel with the operation that saw the overthrow of the Chadian opposition leader, the 87th Rapid Reaction Battalion, under the leadership of the Chief of Staff of the Land Forces, Saddam Haftar, successfully completed another operation in the outskirts of al Qatrun, which led to the overthrow of Mahmoud Sallah, the leader of the Nigerien opposition. Led by General Haftar, the operation saw the deployment of special forces who identified and struck a hideout where Sallah had taken refuge: the security services continue to conduct investigations into crimes and kidnappings linked to the accused and his group. In Niger, the media in Niamey confirmed the identity of Mahmoud Sallah. This arrest is significant as the leader of the “National Liberation Front” (Sallah), is also a supporter of the deposed Nigerien president Mohamed Bazoum. The operations also included extensive actions against networks smuggling weapons, human beings and fuel, while representing a heavy blow to the rebel opposition in Niger, which has simultaneously conducted operations against the Nigerien army to demand the release of Bazoum and the restoration of “constitutional legitimacy”. It should be noted that the opposition has also targeted strategic structures, such as the bombing of the oil pipeline connecting Niger to Benin in June 2024.
Retracing the events that led to Sallah’s arrest, it should be noted that Haftar’s army, led by the general’s two sons, Saddam and Khaled, decided to dismantle the 128th Brigade, a force of 8,000 men that had been part of their coalition since 2016. This brigade was under the command of the Awlad Souleiman tribe, the same tribe as Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, who was deposed in July 2023. Precisely following the annihilation of the 128th Brigade, Haftar’s coalition felt free to act against Bazoum’s allies, so much so that it ultimately led to the arrest by Mahmoud Sallah, a staunch supporter of the deposed president. Libyan authorities later released Sallah, whose return to freedom would have occurred after a meeting between Khalifa Haftar and French President Macron in Paris, where they discussed his detention.
Camilla Montanari and Paolo Romano
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