In a symbolic gesture amid rising diplomatic tensions, Al Sadiq Haftar, son of eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, paid a surprise visit to the president of the Greek community in Benghazi, Kanakis Mandalios.
The visit came in the wake of Libya’s eastern government’s decision to expel the EU delegation from Benghazi, a move that sparked concern across Europe. According to Greek public broadcaster ERT, Al Sadiq Haftar aimed to clarify that Greece was not the intended target of the diplomatic fallout and that the Libyan authorities still value cooperation with Athens.
During his meeting with Mandalios—who tragically lost his two children in the 2023 road accident that killed members of a Greek humanitarian mission in Libya—Haftar presented a commemorative plaque and a formal declaration in memory of the victims.
This outreach appears to be a conciliatory gesture, signalling the desire of the eastern Libyan leadership to maintain strong ties with Greece despite broader tensions with the EU. It also underscores the ongoing importance of the Greek community in Benghazi and the historic bonds between the two peoples.
While the Greek government has not officially commented on the visit, the message it carries is clear: Libya’s eastern faction seeks to keep diplomatic lines open with Athens, even as EU-Libya relations remain strained over migration and regional stability in the Mediterranean.
