05 June 2020; MEMO: Forces fighting for Libya’s UN-supported government said today they entered the city of Tarhuna, the last major stronghold of eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, and liberated the city shortly after.
The Government of National Accord (GNA)’s operations room said its forces reached the centre of the key city after entering it from four sides, Reuters reported.
“Our forces are combing the city as no resistance is seen from Haftar’s militias after their withdrawal from there,” Mustafa Al-Majei, a spokesman for GNA’s army, said.
There was no comment from Haftar’s forces regarding whether any of their elements remained in Tarhuna.
This comes one day after the GNA announced that it had recaptured all of its administrative capital, Tripoli, from Haftar’s forces. Haftar’s militia confirmed they had withdrawn from the capital.
Hundreds of Libyans took to the streets to celebrate the GNA’s victory.
Haftar launched an offensive to capture Tripoli, a GNA stronghold, in 2019 and battles have been raging since between Libya’s two rival factions.
