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Haftar's Lybian National Army Declares Full Control Over City of Sirte

CAIRO (Sputnik) - The Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, took full control of the country's largest city of Sirte, LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari said on Monday.
Sputnik
"The Libyan National Army has taken control of the city of Sirte," the spokesman said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, an LNA source said that the army had entered Sirte and had taken control over the city's seaport. Forces supporting Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) then said that the LNA had captured a military base south of Sirte, according to the Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera.

Libya has been torn apart between the two rival administrations since 2011 when its long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed. The LNA has been trying to seize control over the country's capital of Tripoli, currently controlled by the rival UN-backed GNA, since April 2019. Sirte, located between Tripoli and Benghazi, is Gaddafi's birthplace.

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