Libya's national army, supported by retired Major General Khalifa Haftar, has entered central Benghazi on Wednesday for the first time in two months, a military official and eyewitnesses said.

"A number of army special forces and other fighters entered the city today to increase control of the neighborhoods while Islamist forces were clearly retreating," Spokesperson for Libya's special forces Ahmad Al-Mismari said.

"Army units are stationed in Hay Al-Salam, in central Benghazi, after passing through areas in northeast and center of the city," eyewitnesses said. The eastern Libyan city has been under control of Islamist militias since August.

However, brigade 21 of the special forces, along with brigade 204 tanks of the regular army, are still engaged in clashes and street war with Islamist militias in western Benghazi.

At least 11 people were killed on Wednesday, including a suicide bomber, according to medical and military reports.

Haftar, who played a major role in toppling Libya's former leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been waging a war on Benghazi's Islamist armed groups since May. He said his Operation Dignity were constantly pounding the Islamist armed groups like Shura Council and Ansar al-Sharia.

But Haftar's secular-leaning forces recently met several major setbacks and has lost most of their bases in Benghazi since August. Armed civilians have participated with Hafter forces in recent attacks to retake Benghazi.

Libya has witnessed a drastic escalation of violence after the 2011 turmoil which toppled Gaddafi. The Islamist militants and pro- secular militia have been vying for cities and towns for months, and fighting still flares near Tripoli, Benghazi and Gharyan. Endi

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