Khalifa Haftar

ModernGeneralLibya1943 — ?

Libyan National Army commander in the east.

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Quick Facts

Born

1943

Country

Libya

Era

Modern

Occupation

General

Score Overview

Military (10%)40

Political (20%)37

Influence (20%)51

Legacy (20%)40

Leadership (15%)47

Strategy (15%)60

Total Score45.3

Khalifa Haftar — Complete Timeline

2011 AD

Defection to the Rebel SidePolitical Action◆ Major

Khalifa Haftar defected from the Gaddafi regime in 2011 and joined the rebel forces during the Libyan Civil War. He commanded military operations in the eastern region, gaining prominence as a field commander.

DefectionCivil War

Impact: national

2014 AD

Launch of Operation DignityWar

Haftar launched Operation Dignity on May 16, 2014, a military campaign against Islamist militias in Benghazi. This action escalated the Libyan Civil War and positioned Haftar as a major power broker in the east.

Military CampaignCivil War

Impact: nationaldestructive

2015 AD

Appointment as LNA CommanderPolitical Action◆ Major

Haftar was appointed commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) by the Tobruk-based House of Representatives in March 2015. This gave him official command over military forces in eastern Libya.

Military CommandPolitical Division

Impact: national

2016 AD

Capture of Oil CrescentWar◆ Major

LNA forces under Haftar captured key oil ports in the Oil Crescent region in September 2016. This gave Haftar control over most of Libya's oil infrastructure, significantly increasing his political leverage.

OilTerritorial Control

Impact: national

2019 AD

Offensive on TripoliWar

Haftar launched a military offensive to capture Tripoli from the UN-backed Government of National Accord on April 4, 2019. The offensive failed after 14 months of fighting, ending in a ceasefire in October 2020.

OffensiveCivil War

Impact: nationaldestructive