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A member of the Libyan National Army fires his weapon in Benghazi's central Akhribish district on July 6, 2017. AFP / Abdullah Doma

BENGHAZI // Extremists are still battling Libyan forces in Benghazi days after strongman Khalifa Haftar and his self-styled army declared victory in the eastern city.

ColMiloud Zwei, spokesman for Haftar's Libyan National Army, said on Sundaythe fighting persisted in the district of Soug Al Jarid, located between the central neighbourhoods of Soug Al Hout and Al Sabri, the extremists' last strongholds.

Col Zwei said 20 LNA soldiers have been killed by "terrorists" who had been hiding in houses since Haftar on Wednesday announced the "total liberation" of Benghazi.

Three others were killed on Sunday in mine blasts as soldiers carried out search operations in Al Sabri and Soug Al Hout, he added.

Col Zwei said LNA forces had killed several jihadists and arrested 17 since Wednesday.

Field Marshal Haftar declared war on extremists in Benghazi three years after the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed Libyan dictator Muammer Qaddafi.

Code-named Operation Dignity, the offensive targeted several jihadists groups which had overrun Benghazi after the uprising.

These include the Revolutionary Shura Council of Benghazi, an alliance of Islamist militias among them suspected members of the Islamic state group and the Al Qaeda-linked Ansar Al Sharia.

On Sunday, he was in the UAE for talks with top UAE leaders on military cooperation, state media in Abu Dhabi reported.

Haftar does not recognise the authority of the UN-backed Government of National Accord based in the capital Tripoli, instead backing an alternate government set up in the country's east.

After he announced that extremists forces were driven from Benghazi, thousands of residents took to the streets of Libya's second city to celebrate.

But on Sunday the LNA urged residents to avoid entering the "liberated areas" of the city, where they said mines were still being cleared.

Read more:
Extremists battle Libya forces in 'liberated' Benghazi - The National