The embassy of the United States (US) in Libya has denied circulating reports about training Libyan armed factions inside Libya through the Pentagon’s go-to military trainer, Amentum, saying the reports are false.
Amentum is an implementing partner for the State Department’s Antiterrorism Assistance Program run worldwide by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.
“False reports have been circulating that Amentum has been providing training to armed groups inside Libya on behalf of the US government. These claims are not factual and mischaracterize classroom training Amentum administers outside of Libya for law enforcement personnel.” The US embassy said on Friday in a brief statement on X platform.
Earlier this week reports by different news sources, including Italy’s Nova and Turkish Aydinlik, as well as a lter report by French intelligence website, Africa Intelligence, about Amentum’s training of “Libyan armed factions – mainly in western region” in an attempt to raise their fighting capabilities under the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Africa Intelligence said Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah signed with Amentum to train and professionalize forces under three major armed factions in Tripoli: Brigade 444 led by Mahmoud Hamza, Brigade 111 led by Zubi and Brigade 166 led by Al-Hassan.
According to Africa Intelligence, Amentum military contractor was working in coordination with US State Department to prepare the three armed factions for securing borders and conducting nationwide disarmament.
Meanwhile, any US military boost of Tripoli-seated government will only come as a power showoff to Russia which is expanding in eastern Libya through its support for Khalifa Haftar – especially through Russian private military company Wagner Group whose mercenaries have been supporting Haftar’s forces since 2020 at least.
