Supporters of the thesis that Illizi historically belonged to the Libyan sphere highlight the longstanding ties between Fezzan and the neighboring Saharan regions, which have been connected for centuries through trade, caravan routes, and tribal relations. According to them, today’s borders do not necessarily reflect all the historical realities of the Sahara, where populations have long moved far beyond the new territorial boundaries.
Algeria is now facing a worrying security situation along its southern flank, marked by troop movements observed over the past several months in southwestern Libya, particularly near the Algerian border. This military reorganization, linked to the forces of Marshal Khalifa Haftar, is drawing attention to the strategic stakes in this sensitive area.
The movements of soldiers reported in neighboring Libyan territories raise questions about the objectives of this new deployment. Southern Libya represents a strategic area where issues of territorial control, securing transportation routes, and border surveillance converge. In a country still marked by political and military divisions, the strengthening of the armed presence in this region could have repercussions for the security balance of neighboring states, including Algeria.
For Algiers, this situation is of particular importance. Djanet and Illizi, located in southeastern Algeria, lie close to this sensitive border area. Any change in the Libyan military deployment in neighboring sectors could therefore heighten the vigilance of the Algerian authorities, who are concerned with preserving the integrity of the national territory and preventing the infiltration of armed groups as well as cross-border smuggling activities.
Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who exercises his influence over much of eastern and southern Libya through the Libyan National Army, has made territorial control and the securing of desert areas priorities of his military strategy.
This development is taking place in a regional context in which the surveillance of Saharan borders remains a major issue. The proximity of Libya’s desert regions to Algeria, Niger, and Chad makes any troop redeployment particularly sensitive.