Southern Libya offensive

In late January 2019, the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive to take control of the city of Sabha and the rest of southern Libya from the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and local factions. Officially, the LNA announced that the reason for the operation was to remove terrorists, Chadian rebel groups, and to secure the border, but it has expanded Haftar's territorial control and acquired him oil fields near Sabha. It has also restarted some interethnic conflicts as the LNA has allied with local Arab tribes, while the Tuareg and Toubou tribal militias are loyal to the GNA.

Southern Libya offensive
Part of the Second Libyan Civil War

Map showing the LNA's advances in southern Libya
DateJanuary – April 2019
Location
Southern Libya, with spillovers into Chad
Result HoR/LNA victory
Territorial
changes
Libyan National Army captures Sabha, and oilfields around Sabha
Belligerents

House of Representatives (HoR)

JEM
SLM/A
 United Arab Emirates (suspected)
Co-belligerents:
 Chad
 France

GNA/PC

Allied forces:
NSG loyalists
Tuareg militias
Toubou militias
Chadian rebels

 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant


AQIM (HoR claim)
Commanders and leaders
Khalifa Haftar
(LNA supreme commander)
Abd al-Salim al-Hassi
(LNA chief for the west)
Hassan Matoug al-Zadma
(128th Brigade)
Khalifa al-Seghair al-Hasnawi
(177th Brigade)
Masoud al-Jadi
(Deterrence Brigade)
Fayez al-Sarraj
(Head of unity government)
Ali Kanna
(Southern military zone)
Ahmed al-Ataybi
(6th Infantry Unit)
Muhammad Omar Hassan
(166th Battalion)
Ahmad Allal
(30th Brigade)
Ibrahim Muhammad Kari 
(Murzuq forces)
Salah Badi
(Al-Sumud Front)
Al-Mahdi Rajab Dungo
(ISIL Minister of Defence for Libya)
Units involved

Libyan National Army

  • Tariq Ben Zeyad Battalion
  • 128th Brigade
  • 141st Brigade
  • 166th Infantry Brigade
  • 173rd Brigade
  • 177th Brigade
  • 160th Battalion
  • 181st Battalion
  • Subul al-Salam Battalion
  • Deterrence Brigade

United Arab Emirates Air Force (suspected)


French Air Force (only against Chadian rebels)

Libyan Army

  • 6th Infantry Unit
  • 166th Battalion
  • 30th Brigade
  • Southern Protection Force

NSG loyalists

  • Al-Sumud Front

Chadian rebels

Military of ISIL

  • Chadian militants (alleged)
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