The Undersecretary of the Tripoli based Libyan Ministry of Defence, Lieutenant General Abdelsalam Al-Zoubi, received a delegation of U.S. Congress members led by Austin Scott in Misrata today.
The delegation included Jimmy Panetta, Salud Carbajal, and Jeremy Berndt—the Senior Advisor for Libyan Political Affairs and Chargé d’dffaires at the U.S. Embassy in Libya.
The Undersecretary welcomed the delegation, valuing the visit as a significant step within U.S. efforts aimed at unifying the military institution and establishing lasting peace and stability in the country.
During the meeting, the Undersecretary also expressed his appreciation for the partnership between the United States—including U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM)—and Libyan leaders, a collaboration that resulted in hosting a portion of the Flintlock 2026 exercise in Sirte.
For its part, according to the Tripoli Ministry of Defence, the Congressional delegation affirmed that the success of the Flintlock 2026 exercise demonstrated the serious commitment of the Ministry of Defence and military leaders to overcoming differences and divisions, unifying the Libyan military institution, and building a defence partnership between Libya and the United States.
In light of this progress, the Ministry of Defence welcomed plans to host the main phase of the Flintlock 2027 exercise in Libya and to initiate the construction of a national joint operations centre comprising forces from both the west and the east.
Building on these efforts, the Ministry of Defence also announced that it is moving forward with the formation of a unified Libyan air command—in coordination with counterparts from eastern Libya—and the establishment of a Libyan Air Force "Centre of Excellence" for training at the Air Academy in Misrata to serve the entire country.
This step is part of efforts to unify the military establishment and foster cooperation among military leaders—with support and assistance from the United States—thereby contributing to the creation of a unified military institution capable of protecting the country and safeguarding its territorial integrity.
Benghazi meeting with Hafters
The US Congress delegation had also met the Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Khaled Haftar, the Chairman of the Defence and National Security Committee of the House of Representatives, Talal Al-Mayhoub, and several military leaders in Benghazi.