A large campaign to remove slums and illegal buildings in Derna has been launched by the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation city, according to a Sunday statement.
The campaign was launched days after the government ordered the inhabitants of such areas to evacuate the buildings.
The campaign began from the East Coast neighborhood along the road between the African Club and the Industrial District. The removal process included stalls that occupied sidewalks.
The directorate also began to evacuate some of the public, administrative and security buildings that have been used by squatters since 2011. These buildings included the post office, traffic and central support headquarters.
Derna, in eastern Libya, has been one of the heated zones since 2011. It was under siege for over a year by the the Libyan National Army (LNA) before it announced last July the full liberation of the city, the final militant stronghold outside of LNA’s control in eastern Libya.
In a video statement, LNA chief Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar said the city had been freed after five years of “bitter struggle and great sacrifices.”
In October 2014, Darna was taken over by the Islamic State before the Shura Council coalition arose in June 2015. The LNA now controls all of eastern Libya, reaching south to the borders with Sudan.
