CAIRO — The Egyptian initiative to unite the Libyan military is almost complete after several meetings were held between Libyan military officials who split up following the outbreak of the revolution in February 2011 and the death of Moammar Gadhafi. The initiative aims at laying out the structure of the Libyan unified army. Meanwhile, there are concerns that the Libyan army might take control of the civil power, or that the relationship between the military institution and the civil power will not be clearly defined.

Libya has been plagued by division since anti-government protests began in 2011. Three governments were formed: the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, the interim Libyan government led by Abdullah al-Thani and the rescue government known as the General National Congress (GNC) led by Khalifa al-Ghawil. The political division affected the military situation, as the Libyan army split up and several militias made up of civilians were formed, while other military men joined the Libyan armed forces led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter.

Egypt proposed an initiative to unite the Libyan armed forces and restructure the Libyan army, and Cairo began hosting meetings with Libyan military leaders. Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman for the Libyan armed forces, announced Oct. 29 a meeting between the military delegations from eastern and western Libya and the general command of the Libyan armed forces. On Oct. 30, a Libyan-Libyan meeting saw the participation of 17 officers from Misrata and the eastern and western regions to discuss efforts to unite the army. Several points were agreed on, such as Hifter’s appointment as general commander and the army’s obedience to an elected civil leadership. The dispute, however, revolved around the high commander of armed forces’ post.

In an interview with Al-Monitor in Cairo on Jan. 31, Mesmari said that the recent agreement stated that the general army commander should be the elected president of the country.