Army units have entered Benghazi, seeking to flush out Jihadist militia that have taken control of the city, as Libya’s elected government threw its weight behind a campaign to reclaim Tripoli and Benghazi from Islamist groups.

Prime Minister ‘Abd Allah al-Thinni, head of a government forced into exile in the eastern city of Al- Baida after Islamist militia took control of Tripoli, said the army had been made available for the offensive on the two cities, which is led by Khalifa Haftar, a retired general who for months has waged a military campaign against Jihadist groups in Benghazi. “All military forces have been placed under army command to liberate Tripoli and Benghazi soon, inshallah” the prime minister told AFP on 18 October. (CONTINUED - 338 WORDS)