Less than three years ago, Haftar’s self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) besieged Tripoli in a failed attempt to capture the capital. On Monday, in a highly symbolic gesture, LNA chief of staff Abdulrazek al-Nadoori was invited to visit the city for talks. The prospect of Dbebe and Haftar burying their differences may be welcomed by the United Nations as it struggles to maintain a truce that ended a six-year civil war in 2020. Dbeibeh had already made a strong gesture to Haftar’s supporters by firing the director of the state-owned National Oil Corporation, Mustafa Sanalla, last week. Sanala has been at odds with pro-Haftar protesters who have blockaded eastern oil ports for months, sending oil exports into a downward spiral. Those protests ended within hours of Sanalla’s removal, raising the prospect of Libya returning to full oil production. Western governments will be happy to see Libyan oil return to a limited global market, but some will be silent about Haftar’s enhanced role. The 78-year-old general is a polarizing figure. He is popular in the east for his campaign against anarchist militias, but his enemies accuse him of war crimes during the siege of Tripoli. London and Washington are also concerned about Haftar’s closeness to Russia, which backs him with mercenaries from the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group. “The Americans and the British have been pursuing a policy where Haftar must be contained because of his ties to Russia,” said Mohamed Elzar, director of the Libya Desk, a risk consultancy. “They had supported Dbeibeh as a shield against Haftar, but now he has made a deal with Haftar.” Meanwhile, Dbeibeh’s takeover of the national oil company is controversial. When the incumbent president refused to be fired, Dbeibeh sent troops to occupy the building on Thursday and force him out. Many are unhappy with Sanalla’s replacement, Farhat Bengdara, a former head of the central bank during Muammar Gaddafi’s dictatorship. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST Bengdara, for his part, has promised transparency for the NOC, coupled with a big pay rise for oil workers. The use of troops to control the NOC headquarters has also unnerved oil analysts. “Crude markets will welcome stability with the opening of Libya’s oil ports,” said Mark Rossano, chief investment officer at Capital Holdings. “However, concern remains over how long this lull in protests and infighting will last.” Dbeibeh’s hold on power is precarious. Earlier this month, protests broke out in nine cities against corruption and blackouts. Dbeibeh was initially installed as interim prime minister to run the country until elections to be held last December. When those elections were annulled amid constitutional arguments, he decided to remain in the election, despite the Libyan parliament calling for his resignation.
