Members of the Libyan and Ivoirian armed forces say that the 2026 edition of Flintlock demonstrated how special forces operators from African nations can partner across borders to confront the continent’s growing terror threats.
Officers from the two countries spoke at a panel discussion in Tampa, Florida, in late May, after the completion of the April 14-30 exercise. About 1,500 service members from more than 30 African and international partner nations participated in the exercise, hosted by Côte d’Ivoire and Libya.
Libya hosted Flintlock for the first time. It also marked the first time Libya’s two rival military factions have been involved in such an exercise, training alongside each other. The participation of Libya’s two military forces was made possible by the 3+3 Libyan Joint Military Committee, which consists of six senior officers — three from the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) and three from the western-aligned Government of National Unity (GNU). The United Nations Support Mission in Libya backed participation of the two factions and renewed its support for the nation’s eventual unification.
The two Libyan factions established a joint operations center in Sirte, where they worked with partner nations on planning and coordination. Training scenarios at both centers focused on incorporating intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance techniques with small drone aircraft, and adherence to international law.
The exercise made civil-military integration a priority. Training organizers said the exercise helped ensure that tactical actions could legally transition to judicial systems.
Building trust and lasting bonds among participating countries was “one of the greatest achievements” of the exercise, said Col. Kitchafolwori Sekongo, deputy commander of the Ivoirian Special Forces. He said the countries worked well together, even though “each country has its own doctrine, its own culture.” The connections made during the exercise, he said, “must be sustained.”
“It’s easy to fight alongside someone you have trained with,” he said.
Since the fall of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, Libya has been divided between what has evolved into the two rival military coalitions. Although the political landscape in the country continues to evolve, the core military divide has been constant. The Second Libyan Civil War ended in 2020, but the existence of the competing armies remains one of the principal obstacles to Libya’s reunification and stability.
LNA Lt. Col. Mohamed Dakhel Musbah said the annual Flintlock exercise builds a foundation of “respect and professionalism,” adding that “security cooperation is about trust, not just equipment.”
Sekongo said that this year’s Flintlock was a revelation in terms of technological advances. He said that in past years, these advances were considered “out of reach for us,” but some modern weapons, particularly drone aircraft, “can be acquired off the shelf,” which has changed the operational environment.
“Flintlock gave us more capability to deal with this technology,” he said, adding that more African countries need to be “part of the innovation process.”
Panelists at the Tampa forum said drone use in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the increasing use of drones by terrorists, shows that modern armies need to know how to use new technology and how to counter it.
“We need to have our own solutions,” Sekongo said, adding that the need for people with technology skills has changed the way his country recruits members to its armed forces.
Panelists said that discussions with other countries at the exercise showed them that terrorism is now a threat to the entire continent, not just individual countries.
GNU Lt. Col. Abdalla Ramandan Emhend Elmasudi said Libya’s participation in Flintlock demonstrated that it was “capable of being part of something this big.” The training, he said, will help with Libya’s future security concerns.
Dakhel said Libya wants to continue to play a constructive role in such training.
“We can only be optimistic,” Sekongo said. “Now we realize that one nation alone cannot succeed in this fight. We need to unite more.”
