TRIPOLI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The east-based army of Libya on Monday announced taking over the entire city of Sirte, some 450 km east of the capital Tripoli, from the forces of the rival UN-backed government.
"The General Command of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces officially announces liberation of the city of Sirte from terrorism and criminals," the spokesman of the east-based army, Ahmad al-Mismari, told a press conference in the eastern city of Benghazi.
Mismari also said the whole operation for controlling Sirte took no more than three hours, stressing the operation was confidential.
The east-based army of General Khalifa Haftar has been leading a military campaign since early April in and around the capital Tripoli, attempting to take over the city and topple the UN-backed government of Fayez al-Sarraj.
Thousands have been killed or injured in the fighting and more than 120,000 civilians fled their homes away from the violence.
