Commander of Libya's eastern-based army, General Khalifa Haftar, on Thursday announced taking over the whole eastern city of Darna after defeating the extremists there, Xinhua reported.

"After a bitter struggle and great sacrifices, today our time is renewed as usual with victory, and the terrorists and their supporters with defeat as usual," Haftar said in a televised speech.

"We proudly announce the liberation of the precious city of Darna and returning it safely to the homeland, so that joy can spread all over Libya," Haftar said.

Haftar expressed gratitude to the Libyan army and the people of Darna for "standing together with the army in the war to liberate the city from darkness."

Haftar accused the international community of turning a blind eye to the supplies of arms to terrorist organizations inside Libya, while refusing to arm the Libyan army and lift the arms embargo.

"The Libyan army's victory over the terrorist organizations in the east, west and south of Libya is a victory for the whole world because the army is fighting terrorism on behalf of the world," he said.

On May 3, the Libyan army launched a military operation to take over the eastern city of Darna from the grip of an organization called the Shura Council of the Mujahideen in Darna, a coalition of Islamist militias seeking to implement Sharia law in the city.

The army has besieged the city since 2015, and demanded that the group leave Darna, accusing it of being loyal to al-Qaida.

Libya has been suffering from unrest and insecurity since its former leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in an uprising in 2011.

Icmal.Az