Is Egypt sidelining its Libyan ally?
Egypt has for the first time hosted a delegation from western Libya, which may point to the possible marginalization of eastern military commander Khalifa Hifter in upcoming peace talks.
CAIRO — Members of the Egyptian Committee on Libya, which is made up of current diplomats and intelligence officers, visited Sept. 14 the commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Khalifa Hifter, in Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi. The visit has raised questions about the reasons behind this surprise move.
It was the second time in a month that a high-level Egyptian delegation meets with Hifter. On Aug. 18, Hifter had met with a delegation headed by the head of Egypt’s military intelligence agency, Maj-Gen. Khaled Megawer.
Observers have linked the Sept. 14 visit to the latest Egyptian moves in the Libyan file after Cairo hosted talks with a delegation from western Libya on Sept. 7. Analysts believe that the meeting may point to a marginalization of Hifter in favor of his ally Aguila Saleh, head of the Tobruk-based parliament.
According to the Egyptian Middle East News Agency (MENA), the Sept. 14 meeting focused on common issues between the two countries and the latest developments on the regional and international levels. The Egyptian delegation has, according to MENA, stressed the need to resume the political process and enforce a cease-fire in Libya.
