US Africa Command (AFRICOM) launched its annual Flintlock special operations exercise on 14 April 2026 in Sirte, Libya, bringing together military units from the country's two rival camps for the first time since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Forces from the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, participated alongside troops loyal to the UN-recognised Government of National Unity based in Tripoli — a pairing AFRICOM described as a "historic milestone" in support of building a unified Libyan military. The month-long exercise, which also involves forces from more than 30 countries and a parallel component in Côte d'Ivoire, was partly led by Italy in its planning and execution, and comes days after rival Libyan factions unified the country's national budget under US pressure; however, the rapprochement has drawn criticism from some in western Libya, particularly in Misrata, where resentment lingers over Haftar's 2019 assault on Tripoli.