CAIRO — The head of Egypt’s military intelligence agency, Maj-Gen. Khaled Megawer, and an accompanying delegation, met Aug. 19 with Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Hifter, LNA Chief of Staff Gen. Abdul Razzak al-Nazouri and head of the LNA air force Saqr al-Jaroushi at the LNA headquarters in al-Rajma in eastern Libya.
During the meeting with Hifter, Megawer delivered a message from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, which stressed Egypt’s rejection to withdraw the LNA forces from the Libyan key coastal cities of Sirte and al-Jufra and turn these cities into demilitarized areas. According to anonymous sources quoted by Al-Arabiya, the message also reiterates Cairo’s refusal to divide Libyan territories and to besiege Libya. According to the message, Egypt will open a direct communication channel in the near future with the LNA for full coordination.
The visit comes amid heightened tension around Sirte, in western Libya. Hifter’s LNA seeks to prevent militias affiliated with the Government of National Accord (GNA), led by Fayez al-Sarraj, from carrying out an offensive against Sirte, with the backing of Turkey and Qatar.
Turkey has sent weapons, military equipment and drones to support the GNA against Hifter. It also deployed thousands of pro-Turkish Syrian mercenaries to fight alongside the pro-GNA militias.
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