US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Deputy Commander Saddam Haftar of the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) on Monday, as Washington deepens its involvement in resolving the political crisis in the North African country.

The State Department said Rubio and Haftar discussed “ongoing Libyan-led efforts to unify the country’s military, economic, and political institutions” and “possible avenues for cooperation to advance unity and peace in Libya.” Rubio expressed appreciation for Libyan leaders’ efforts to overcome divisions.

In April, the US helped broker a unified spending agreement between Libya’s two competing governments, covering public sector wages and the National Oil Corporation. Washington is also pushing for military cooperation between eastern and western Libya, with joint drills held last year in Sirte.

Libya descended into chaos after a NATO-backed uprising toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The current split governance stems from 2014, when a Tripoli court declared the House of Representatives invalid after it moved east.

Saddam Haftar, heir apparent to his father Khalifa Haftar, has recently met with Egypt’s defense minister and French President Emmanuel Macron. The Trump administration has intensified diplomatic efforts, with White House adviser Massad Boulos leading an initiative to unify the two governments, potentially inviting them to Washington for a final agreement.

Source: www.aljazeera.com