"A military solution is not what Libya needs, so what we've said before and what I do support is Field Marshal Haftar's support in terms of his role in counterterrorism but where we need Field Marshal Haftar's support is in building democratic stability there in the region," Shanahan said.
While the US has primarily backed the UN-recognized Government of National Accord based in Tripoli, American diplomats and military officers have maintained contacts with Haftar, whose Libyan National Army controls much of eastern and southern Libya.
As a result of Haftar's offensive, in April 2019 the US military withdrew a small number of troops from Libya that had been performing diplomatic and counter-terrorism missions against ISIS, citing "increased unrest in Libya," the CNN reported.
A one-time officer in former Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi's army who spent years living in exile in Virginia and later fought against Gaddafi's regime, Haftar has received support from Egypt, France, Russia and the UAE.
In June 2020, Turkish support helped GNA-allied militias thwart a year-long attempt by Haftar to capture Tripoli.
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