DHAKA: Libyan warplanes have bombed bases in Benghazi as part of a self-declared campaign by a renegade former general to purge the North African country of armed groups.

A media witness and an air force official in Benghazi said two jets bombed a base belonging to the February 17th Brigade, one of the armed groups operating in the eastern city, reports Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera from Tripoli, said a spokesman of former Libyan general Khalif Haftar confirmed that the operation had started.

Witnesses also told our correspondent that dark smoke was seen from the location of the attack.

Haftar launched a campaign last week to rid Libya of what he called ‘terrorists’. He had earlier accused the government of not acting against the religious hardline militias in the country.

Gunmen claiming loyalty to him attacked the parliament building in capital Tripoli two weeks ago to demand a power transfer, triggering the worst clashes in the capital for months.

BDST: 2111 HRS, MAY 28, 2014