 During the latter parts of the Chadian–Libyan conflict, Colonel al-Rifi was in command of Libyan troop deployments from his base at Kufra in the south of Libya.In 1991, Ali Sharif al-Rifi, named as Colonel Rifi Ali al-Sharif, was listed on the Fact Sheet which provided additional information on the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 issued with the United States District Court for the District of Columbia indictment against Abdelbaset al-Megrahi and Lamin Khalifah Fhimah in the case of the Lockerbie bombing.Ali Sharif al-Rifi was described as having a prominent role in Libya's procurement effort and as having reportedly attempted to assist al-Megrahi in his attempt to acquire US aircraft via Benin.