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Prime Minister of Libyan Government of National Accord visits AFRICOM

Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, Commander, U.S. Africa Command, salute the Libyan and U.S. flags during an arrival ceremony April 5, 2017 at the AFRICOM Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. This marks Sarraj's second visit to AFRICOM's headquarters in Germany.

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Photo by: Nate Herring 

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Prime Minister of Libyan Government of National Accord visits AFRICOM

Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, Commander, U.S. Africa Command, deliver opening remarks prior to briefings at the AFRICOM headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. Sarraj visited AFRICOM to receive operational updates and discuss future U.S. cooperation in Libya

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Photo by: Nate Herring 

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Prime Minister of Libyan Government of National Accord visits AFRICOM

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, Commander, U.S. Africa Command greets Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj during a visit April 5, 2017 at the AFRICOM headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.

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Photo by: Nate Herring 

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Prime Minister of Libyan Government of National Accord visits AFRICOM

Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, Commander, U.S. Africa Command, salute the Libyan and U.S. flags during an arrival ceremony April 5, 2017 at the AFRICOM Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. This marks Sarraj's second visit to AFRICOM's headquarters in Germany.

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Photo by: Nate Herring 

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Prime Minister of Libyan Government of National Accord visits AFRICOM

Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, Commander, U.S. Africa Command, salute while a quintet from the U.S. Army Europe band play the Libyan and U.S. anthems April 5, 2017 at the AFRICOM Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. This marks Sarraj's second visit to AFRICOM's headquarters in Germany.

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Photo by: Nate Herring 

The Prime Minister of Libya’s unity government, Fayez al-Sarraj, met with Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, Commander, U.S. Africa Command, and Amb. Peter Bodde, U.S. Ambassador to Libya, at the U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany April 5, 2017.

During the visit, Prime Minister Sarraj and his delegation received operational updates and discussed future U.S. cooperation in Libya. Also, at the request of the Prime Minister, AFRICOM provided a briefing on relationships between civilian governments and military institutions including examples of national security structures, both past and present, used in different nations.

“We had a good discussion about the ways ahead and how we continue our support to the Government of National Accord,” Waldhauser said. “We have some exchanges now that are going to continue on and some working groups based on some of the topics we discussed today.”

This was the second time Sarraj has visited the AFRICOM headquarters in Germany. During the first visit in August 2016, he received updates on Operation Odyssey Lightning, which involved precision airstrikes against ISIS targets in Sirte, Libya at the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord. AFRICOM concluded Operation Odyssey Lightning Dec. 19, following an announcement from the Libyan government of the end of offensive military operations in Sirte.

In partnership with the GNA, the operation succeeded in its core objective of enabling GNA-aligned forces to drive ISIS out of Sirte by conducting 495 precision airstrikes against Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices, heavy guns, tanks, command and control centers and fighting positions.

“We continue to develop intelligence and watch groups like ISIS in conjunction with the Government of National Accord,” Waldhauser said. “The counter-terrorism fight is still something we both focus on and work very closely on.”