Khalifa Belqasim Haftar
Who was Khalifa Belqasim Haftar?
Military commander who leads the Libyan National Army and controls eastern Libya in opposition to the UN-recognized government in Tripoli.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Khalifa Belqasim Haftar (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Khalifa Belqasim Haftar was born on November 7, 1943, in Ajdabiya, Libya. He studied at the Benghazi Military University Academy and furthered his training at the Vystrel course and the M.V. Frunze Military Academy in the Soviet Union. These experiences influenced his military approach and strategy throughout his career.
Haftar started as an officer in the Libyan Army under Muammar Gaddafi and participated in the 1969 coup that brought Gaddafi to power. His efforts during this time earned him the Order of the Great September Revolution 1969. He also took part in the 1973 Yom Kippur War with Libya's contingent against Israel, gaining combat experience useful in later campaigns.
Haftar's relationship with Gaddafi changed during the Chadian-Libyan conflict from 1978 to 1987. Rising in rank, he became the chief officer of Libyan forces in Chad in 1986, handling operations during the Toyota War. However, his capture by Chadian forces in April 1987 was a major blow to Gaddafi's regime and a personal crisis for Haftar. While imprisoned, he started an opposition group with fellow officers, plotting against Gaddafi's government.
After his release around 1990 through a U.S. government deal, Haftar spent nearly 20 years in exile in Langley, Virginia, eventually becoming a U.S. citizen. During this time, the Libyan government sentenced him to death in absentia in 1993 for crimes against the state. His exile ended with the 2011 Libyan Civil War when he returned to take a senior role in the forces that overthrew Gaddafi.
Since 2011, Haftar has become one of Libya's key military figures, leading the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army. In 2015, he was officially named commander of the forces loyal to the elected Libyan House of Representatives. By mid-2017, he had become the de facto ruler of eastern Libya, holding power through military control and opposing the UN-recognized Government of National Accord in Tripoli. His leadership style is seen as authoritarian, maintaining control via the LNA's military strength in the east.
Before Fame
Haftar was born in the coastal city of Ajdabiya during the time when Italy still had colonial control over Libya. As he grew up, North Africa was experiencing a lot of political changes. Libya had gained independence in 1951 and was still figuring out its political path when Haftar went to study at Benghazi Military University Academy.
He rose to prominence after getting advanced military training in the Soviet Union, where he completed the Vystrel course and attended the M.V. Frunze Military Academy. This Soviet military education gave him tactical and strategic skills that matched the pan-Arab nationalist movements of the 1960s. It was the perfect preparation for him to get involved in the revolutionary activities that soon took over Libya under the Free Officers Movement.
Key Achievements
- Participated in the 1969 coup that brought Muammar Gaddafi to power in Libya
- Served as chief officer of Libyan military forces in Chad during the Toyota War (1986-1987)
- Played a senior leadership role in the 2011 revolution that overthrew Gaddafi
- Established control over eastern Libya as commander of the Libyan National Army (2014-present)
- Appointed commander of armed forces loyal to the Libyan House of Representatives in 2015
Did You Know?
- 01.He lived in Langley, Virginia for nearly two decades, the same town that houses CIA headquarters
- 02.Haftar was awarded the Order of Courage for his military service, in addition to his revolutionary honors
- 03.He was captured during the Toyota War, named for the Toyota pickup trucks extensively used by Chadian forces
- 04.Despite being sentenced to death in absentia by Libya in 1993, he obtained U.S. citizenship during his exile
- 05.His military academy training in the Soviet Union at the M.V. Frunze Military Academy was the same institution that trained many Warsaw Pact military leaders
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Order of the Great September Revolution 1969 | — | — |
| Order of Courage | — | — |