Egypt welcomed Saturday a “purge of terrorist and extremist organisations” from Libya’s Benghazi after Libyan National Army (LNA) chief Khalifa Haftar declared victory Wednesday.

In an official statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry praised the role played by the LNA, which it said was able to defeat terrorism and extremism, describing the Benghazi advance as a “new successful” step on the path to eradicating terrorism in other Libyan cities.

On Wednesday, Haftar announced his forces "liberated" the eastern city of Benghazi after years of fighting with Islamists.

“After a continuous struggle against terrorism and its agents that lasted more than three years ... we announce to you the liberation of Benghazi,” Haftar said following bloody battles last week between the LNA and Islamic militants.

The statement added that Egypt trusts the capacity of the Libyan people to root out terrorism nationwide.

The foreign ministry also reiterated the necessity of joint international efforts to forge a comprehensive vision for ending terrorism funding and promotion.

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