And as foreign militaries increase their presence in Libya, they must identify local partners to train, support and advise. But because Libya lacks a unity government, Western countries are forced to work with a variety of local militias and political groups, many of which are in conflict with one another and clash violently throughout the country. Until a clearer prospective political solution emerges, U.S., British, French and Italian military forces have decided to work incrementally in both western and eastern Libya to fight the Islamic State. In western Libya, U.S. and British forces are reportedly working with militias from Misrata, while in the east, French forces reportedly work near Benghazi with Gen. Hifter's Operation Dignity. December reports projected that the foreign military intervention forces in Libya, currently numbering in the hundreds, will eventually total 6,000 soldiers.
For several reasons, Western militaries must be discrete as they expand into Libya. First, many Libyans vehemently oppose their presence, forcing Western countries to operate under the radar to avoid political repercussions. Second, Western militaries must work delicately with Libya's many different groups without getting pulled into competing rivalries. Finally, since many Libyans despise Gen. Hifter, French support of his forces is especially controversial. Still, his allies' gains against militants in Benghazi make working with the general useful for French and other Western militaries.