Libya and Syria Deploy Forces to Turkey's EFES-2026 Exercise in Historic Firsts
Libya and Syria have deployed troops to Turkey's EFES-2026 Combined Joint Live-Fire Field Exercise near İzmir, marking the first time either country has participated in a military exercise on foreign soil. The live-fire phase concluded on May 21, involving over 10,000 personnel from 50 nations. Libyan forces from rival eastern and western factions trained together under a single flag for the first time, while Syria's contingent of about 50 personnel represented the newly reconstituted Syrian army's first exercise abroad.
İZMİR — Libya and Syria have deployed troops to Turkey's EFES-2026 Combined Joint Live-Fire Field Exercise near İzmir, marking the first time either country has participated in a military exercise on foreign soil.
The live-fire phase of EFES-2026 concluded on May 21 along the Aegean coast near İzmir, drawing over 10,000 personnel from 50 nations to the İzmir Gulf and Doğanbey training ranges. The drill was conducted under the Aegean Army Command and spanned two phases — a computer-assisted command post phase in April and the live-fire field phase.
Libya's contingent of 502 troops — 331 from the country's eastern forces and 171 from the west — trained side by side under a single Libyan flag for the first time. Turkish defense officials described the event as a concrete step toward Ankara's long-stated "One Libya, One Army" goal. Libyan personnel received training in amphibious operations, special forces tactics, combat diving, mine and IED awareness, and combat search and rescue. The Libyan Combattante II G class patrol craft Shafak also participated in the naval phase of the exercise.
Approximately 50 Syrian military personnel took part, making the newly reconstituted Syrian army's first-ever exercise outside Syrian territory. Ankara framed both nations' attendance as part of its broader military-restructuring and advisory programs in each country, with officials saying that training and advisory cooperation with both nations will continue and expand.