Story highlights The effort has been underway since late last year

The undertaking stops short of a formalized military presence on the ground

The effort stops short of a formalized military presence on the ground

Washington (CNN) The Pentagon is slightly expanding its efforts to counter ISIS activity in Libya, sending in small teams of troops to try to establish relationships with groups that may be able to form a new nationwide government, according to a U.S. defense official familiar with the operation.

But the effort stops short of a formalized military presence on the ground, the official said.

The effort has been underway since late last year. In December, U.S. troops were photographed inside Libya but left after local militias objected. At that time, U.S. officials said it was not a regular task for U.S. troops to go to Libya.

Now, that appears to have changed. The official noted teams do travel to both western and eastern Libya but insisted, "they have not established a permanent presence or anything like an outpost."

They are approaching militias and other groups around Benghazi, Misrata and Tripoli. The hope is that somehow groups like the declared Libyan House of Representatives and Government of National Accord, along with what is left of a military element plus powerful militias, can somehow band together to form a unity government.

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