How the Rivalry Between Haftar and al-Zadma is Fueling the Conflict in Southwest Libya

The escalating and ongoing conflict between the militia general Khalifa Haftar and his former ally, the commander of the 128th Brigade, Hassan al-Zadma, threatens the fragile tribal stability across the wider southwestern region of Libya, particularly in the Fezzan.

The feud between al-Zadma and Haftar has stirred broader animosities between the Tebu and Awlad Suleiman tribes, potentially unraveling Haftar’s alliances, even with neighboring countries such as Niger and Chad, to which these tribes maintain deep-rooted connections.

The volatile standoff between the two powerful generals has also cast a shadow over the town of Qatrun, situated in the Murzuq area of southwestern Libya. 

Al-Zadma, a member of the Awlad Suleiman tribe, faces off against Haftar, who enjoys the backing of the Tebu tribe.

In its coverage of the conflict, the French magazine Africa Intelligence, which specializes in African affairs, reported that the growing influence of brothers Hassan, Salem, and Zidan al-Zadma within Libya’s military, political, and tribal circles has sparked the discontent of Saddam Haftar, the son of the militia general.

On March 20, 2025, the magazine noted that Haftar’s attempt to weaken al-Zadma and curtail their power not only provoked the Awlad Suleiman tribe but also the entirety of the Tebu tribes.

Al-Zadma Resigns

Al-Zadma led the 128th Brigade stationed in Fezzan, while his brother Salem served as deputy prime minister in the eastern government under Osama Hamad, and Zidan was responsible for coordination within the Awlad Suleiman tribe.

In addition to their local roots, the al-Zadma brothers maintain a close relationship with the United Arab Emirates, frequently visiting the country.

On December 22, 2024, reports of a rift between Haftar and al-Zadma began to surface, with local Libyan news pages circulating rumors of the latter’s resignation.

The resignation was reportedly triggered by al-Zadma's opposition to the Haftar family's attempt, particularly the militia general’s sons, to dominate the weapon and gold sectors in the region.

However, the resignation remained unofficial and unconfirmed until January 12, 2025.

At that point, Saddam Haftar backed the dismissal of Hassan al-Zadma from his command of the 128th Brigade, part of Haftar's forces, and subsequently deployed the 87th Brigade to the south to replace him and seize its equipment.

Haftar’s decision included disbanding the 128th Brigade under al-Zadma’s leadership, breaking it into three armed factions led by new commanders, and reassigning their positions across three areas: Jufra, Obari, and Sirte.

Al-Zadma is a seasoned officer in the Libyan military landscape, having held the rank of captain within the brigades of the former regime under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

He rose to prominence within Gaddafi’s forces during the 2011 February Revolution, only to reemerge later among the armed tribal factions in southern Libya.

In 2016, al-Zadma succeeded in establishing a tribal armed group known as the 240th Infantry Company, which allowed him to bring several areas and strategic locations under Haftar’s control.

Haftar later formalized his role within his leadership structure, promoting him to the rank of colonel and officially naming his formation the 128th Brigade in 2018. The brigade was initially stationed at the Jufra base before being relocated to Fezzan.

Al-Zadma Defiance

However, al-Zadma, who had joined Haftar in the 2014 coup and played a leading role in his (failed) military campaign against Tripoli in 2019, refused to comply with the orders.

In early January 2025, the Italian news agency Nova revealed that he had disregarded the summons and his whereabouts remained unknown.

This was confirmed by Nasser Ammar, commander of the support forces in Operation "Volcano of Rage," who told the agency, "The alliance has fractured, especially after the military police raided the home of 128th Infantry Brigade commander Hassan al-Zadma."

He attributed the rift to Saddam Haftar’s decision to revoke ranks and weapons from the Awlad Suleiman tribe, who had previously been promoted by al-Zadma, while granting broader influence to the Tebu. This move deepened tensions between the two tribes in the region.

The Italian news agency reported that communications between al-Zadma and certain Russian commanders overseeing the restructuring of Wagner groups stationed at the Jufra base angered Haftar.

The agency noted that the rebel general grew alarmed in mid-December 2024, when al-Zadma facilitated the arrival of Russian officers at strategic military installations in the south.

This included the Louig camp near the border with Chad and the Matn al-Sara camp near the Sudanese border.

On February 13, 2025, the Libya Observer highlighted one of the key points of contention between Haftar and al-Zadma. 

The report revealed that al-Zadma had carried out a military operation under Haftar’s orders and supervised by his son, Saddam, in August 2024, under the guise of securing the southern borders.

The operation aimed to seize gold mines located along the border with Chad, but al-Zadma repeatedly delayed handing over control of the mines to Saddam, despite successfully capturing them on several occasions.

His justification was an agreement with the Chadian tribal militias, who controlled part of the mines, a move that infuriated both Haftar senior and junior. 

As a result, they decided that al-Zadma must be removed, according to the Libyan local news site.

Qatrun Clashes

Amidst these growing tensions, violent clashes erupted between the two generals on February 12, 2025, in the town of Qatrun, the southernmost point of Libya.

On that day, a force from the 87th Brigade, loyal to Saddam Haftar and commanded by Mohamed al-Mazoughi, arrived and demanded that Hassan al-Zadma's brigade, the 128th, surrender their weapons. This demand ignited the ensuing battle.

At that point, al-Zadma received support from his men, including armed elements of his Awlad Suleiman tribe, and together they fought for several days.

The Libya al-Ahrar channel later reported that the clashes resulted in casualties and injuries on both sides, though official medical and military sources have not disclosed the numbers or the nature of the injuries.

However, it was confirmed that several military vehicles and equipment were destroyed by Haftar’s brigade before al-Zadma’s forces withdrew, having suffered significant losses.

Al-Zadma’s company had fled from the town of Qatrun to Mount Asida, located about 50 kilometers from the area.

Despite Saddam Haftar’s advances in the fighting, he faced a deeper crisis involving Mahmoud Salah, a prominent figure from the Nigerian National Liberation Front, who had been with al-Zadma. 

Salah was arrested in Qatrun on February 23 during the 87th Brigade’s assault and later detained in Benghazi.

According to media reports, Salah was planning to reorganize his forces in Libya, taking advantage of the prevailing security chaos.

A few days later, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the issue during his meeting with Khalifa Haftar at the Elysee Palace, as Macron has been closely monitoring the situation surrounding former Nigerian President Mohamed Bazoum.

Among Salah's fighters are supporters of Bazoum, who are demanding his release after he was ousted by the Nigerian military, led by Abdourahamane Tiani, in July 2023.

Both men, Salah and Bazoum, have tribal connections in Libya; Salah hails from the Tebu tribe, while Bazoum is from the Awlad Suleiman tribe (the same tribe as al-Zadma), placing both at the heart of the ongoing battle between Haftar and al-Zadma.

Despite rumors circulating about Salah’s release, supposedly in response to Macron’s request, sources close to him denied these claims in a press statement issued by the Coordinating Movement of Free Forces in Niger on March 11, 2025.

Haftar Tebu Alliance

However, Africa Intelligence magazine confirmed that Khalifa Haftar has managed to maintain his communication with the Tebu tribe and secure their support.

Yet, his war against al-Zadma, along with the fate of Mahmoud Salah and the violence witnessed in Qatrun, has sparked deep resentment towards his militias.

Haftar is now doing everything in his power to avoid losing his entire alliance with the Tebu, given their strategic importance due to their presence and influence in the southeastern region of Libya.

The gold mines, located along the borders with Sudan and Chad, are at the heart of the conflict between Haftar and the al-Zadma tribe (Awlad Suleiman).

Additionally, the region of Kufra, situated in the same area (Fezzan), hosts the Matn al-Sara airbase, which was secretly refurbished and brought back into operation in November 2024.

Since then, the Russian African Legion (formerly Wagner) has used the region as a logistical hub to transport its personnel and military equipment to the Sahel.

Moreover, its strategic location serves the interests of the UAE in facilitating the delivery of aid to the leader of the Rapid Support Forces militia, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, in Sudan, who has received significant support from Hassan al-Zadma, aiding in the flow of assistance during his fight against the Sudanese army.