Sudan to Send Troops to Libya to Save Hafter From Defeat

UAE pushing for armed factions to rescue Hafter in return for funding

Tables have been turning this week in Libya, where the Government of National Accord (GNA) has reclaimed key western coastal areas and is assailing the Libyan National Army (LNA) of Gen. Khalifa Hafter’s forces in southern Tripoli, where they’ve been trying to contest the capital for a year.

Hafter has been close to victory a few times, and now on the brink of defeat, his international allies are looking to bail him out, with reports that Sudanese forces loyal to Gen. Dagalo to rush into Libya to save Hafter and his Tripoli forces from what could be a disastrous loss.

Hafter is already being backed by Sudanese fighters, but this latest report originates with one of his richer backers, the United Arab Emirates. The UAE reportedly contacted Gen. Dagalo and offered him substantial financial and military support if he dispatched these new forces to Libya.

With so many nations behind Hafter, it looks like he might be too supported to fail, despite having repeatedly failed in attempted coups since the NATO-imposed regime change. The GNA, which beyond Turkey has little to no international support, seems unlikely to be able to match all this support.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.