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Libya conflict: Rebels push towards Tripoli Libya conflict: Rebels push towards Tripoli
(about 1 hour later)
Buoyed by gains on Saturday, rebel forces are pushing towards the Libyan capital, Tripoli, where there was heavy overnight gunfire and several explosions on Sunday morning.Buoyed by gains on Saturday, rebel forces are pushing towards the Libyan capital, Tripoli, where there was heavy overnight gunfire and several explosions on Sunday morning.
A BBC correspondent with rebels who took Zawiya on Saturday says they have now taken Jaddayim, the first town en route to Tripoli, 40km (25 miles) east.A BBC correspondent with rebels who took Zawiya on Saturday says they have now taken Jaddayim, the first town en route to Tripoli, 40km (25 miles) east.
Earlier, Col Muammar Gaddafi told state TV that the "rats" [rebels] had been eliminated in the capital. A government spokesman called for a ceasefire and accused Nato of working with the anti-Gaddafi forces.
Rebels are moving on two other fronts.Rebels are moving on two other fronts.
They took Zlitan, 160km (100 miles) east of Tripoli and are also advancing from the south, while Nato warships control access to the sea.They took Zlitan, 160km (100 miles) east of Tripoli and are also advancing from the south, while Nato warships control access to the sea.
A rebel official said their supporters had started to rise up in Tripoli, but the violence appeared to peak late on Saturday night and there is still much support for Colonel Gaddafi in the city, correspondents say. A rebel official said their supporters had started to rise up in Tripoli, but the violence appeared to peak late on Saturday night and there is still much support for Col Gaddafi in the city, correspondents say.
Pro-Gaddafi forces have been fighting back at the oil port of Brega, with the rebels admitting that they had fallen back from the eastern town's industrial zone under heavy bombardment.Pro-Gaddafi forces have been fighting back at the oil port of Brega, with the rebels admitting that they had fallen back from the eastern town's industrial zone under heavy bombardment.
Clerics 'call to rise up' 'Massacres'
The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Jaddayim says hundreds of rebel fighters are in the town, both on foot and travelling in pick-up trucks. Col Gaddafi's Information Minister Moussa Ibrahim accused Nato of going "mad".
He says the town was taken after heavy fighting on Sunday morning. "Nato in the last week or so... has been opening the roads ahead of the rebels who are too weak to do anything themselves," he told a news conference in Tripoli.
He also accused the rebel forces of carrying out "massacres" and killing people in the streets of those towns and villages they had seized in recent days.
He urged all parties to seek a peaceful way out of the crisis, warning that otherwise "many people will be killed and terrible crimes will be committed inside Libyan cities".
He also said that Tripoli was well protected by "thousands upon thousands of professional soldiers".
The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Jaddayim says hundreds of rebel fighters are in the town, both on foot and travelling in pick-up trucks. He says the town was taken after heavy fighting on Sunday morning.
Our correspondent says this is starting to feel like this may be the beginning of the march on Tripoli. This rebel advance seems to have more momentum than previous ones and has more support from Nato forces, he adds.Our correspondent says this is starting to feel like this may be the beginning of the march on Tripoli. This rebel advance seems to have more momentum than previous ones and has more support from Nato forces, he adds.
"We want to go to Tripoli today," one of the fighters, Bassam, told the AFP news agency, adding that Nato forces had been attacking the area's forest all night."We want to go to Tripoli today," one of the fighters, Bassam, told the AFP news agency, adding that Nato forces had been attacking the area's forest all night.
However, a fighter who returned from the front line to Zawiya said that pro-Gaddafi forces were pounding rebel positions with rockets, mortar and anti-aircraft fire. However, a fighter who returned from the front line to Zawiya said that pro-Gaddafi forces were pounding rebel positions with rockets and mortars.
In the capital itself, four loud explosions were heard on Sunday morning following hours of sustained gunfire in the city.In the capital itself, four loud explosions were heard on Sunday morning following hours of sustained gunfire in the city.
The sound of gunfire echoed through the night in Tripoli - small arms and heavy weaponry. Sustained bursts that lasted several minutes, before there was a lull and then they started up again. Colonel Gaddafi's Libya is under pressure like never before. Rebel forces are advancing towards the capital. They will expect to meet resistance before they arrive here. But the uprising may have started from within.
Explosions could also be heard. The disturbances seemed to be coming from pockets to the north and east of the city centre, and to the south-west. A government spokesman blamed small groups of armed gangs. He said pro-Gaddafi forces would be "victorious". Overnight there were fierce clashes in several districts, with Colonel Gaddafi promising his people that the rebels had been "eliminated". Certainly the sound of the fighting indicated that troops had been ordered to fight them with all they have. The Libyan information minister called for an immediate ceasefire. He said a peaceful way out of the crisis needed to be negotiated, that the government had been saying this for months.
Rebel sources said this was the start of the uprising in Tripoli. One said many pro-Gaddafi units have fled. There does though appear to be considerable support in the city for Col Gaddafi. Over the last few weeks armed men have stood at checkpoints across Tripoli. And civilians have been given weapons training. And he added that Nato would have blood on it's hands if this did not happen. He said it was only with Nato support that the rebels were able to advance on Tripoli and that if they were allowed to enter, their priority would be blood and revenge.
There were overnight reports of protests and gunfire in areas to the north and east of Tripoli, including the Tajoura district, where there was trouble at the start of this uprising against Col Gaddafi, the BBC's Matthew Price reports from the capital.There were overnight reports of protests and gunfire in areas to the north and east of Tripoli, including the Tajoura district, where there was trouble at the start of this uprising against Col Gaddafi, the BBC's Matthew Price reports from the capital.
The most intense period of fighting came at around 11pm but the level of gunfire was much reduced by Sunday morning, our correspondent says. The most intense period of fighting came at around 21:00 local time (19:00GMT) but the level of gunfire was much reduced by Sunday morning, our correspondent says.
The overnight fighting was almost certainly opponents of Col Gaddafi already in scattered parts of Tripoli rising up against pro-Gaddafi forces, rather than rebel forces advancing into the capital, our correspondent adds.The overnight fighting was almost certainly opponents of Col Gaddafi already in scattered parts of Tripoli rising up against pro-Gaddafi forces, rather than rebel forces advancing into the capital, our correspondent adds.
Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, vice-chairman of the rebel Transitional National Council (TNC), was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency: "The zero hour has started. The rebels in Tripoli have risen up."Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, vice-chairman of the rebel Transitional National Council (TNC), was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency: "The zero hour has started. The rebels in Tripoli have risen up."
He said the uprising had been co-ordinated with rebels forces elsewhere in the country.He said the uprising had been co-ordinated with rebels forces elsewhere in the country.
But Col Gaddafi's Information Minister Moussa Ibrahim later put the trouble down to "small armed gangs". But government officials say the attack was put down within half an hour.
"Tripoli is safe... Some gunmen entered two or three areas of Tripoli. They were confronted and everything ended within half an hour," he said.
In an audio broadcast shortly afterwards, Col Gaddafi congratulated his supporters for repelling the rebels.In an audio broadcast shortly afterwards, Col Gaddafi congratulated his supporters for repelling the rebels.
"Those rats were attacked by the masses tonight and we eliminated them," he said."Those rats were attacked by the masses tonight and we eliminated them," he said.
His son, Saif al-Islam, ruled out any possibility of surrender.His son, Saif al-Islam, ruled out any possibility of surrender.
"I see ourselves as victorious, I see our position is strong," he said in a speech on state TV."I see ourselves as victorious, I see our position is strong," he said in a speech on state TV.
He did, however, urge the rebels to open talks.He did, however, urge the rebels to open talks.
"If you want peace, we are ready," he said."If you want peace, we are ready," he said.
The Libyan leader certainly has support in Tripoli, our correspondent says.The Libyan leader certainly has support in Tripoli, our correspondent says.
Pro-Gaddafi men and women have received weapons training in recent weeks, while checkpoints have sprung up across the city.Pro-Gaddafi men and women have received weapons training in recent weeks, while checkpoints have sprung up across the city.
A Tripoli resident told Reuters that Muslim clerics had called for people to rise up in parts of the Libyan capital.A Tripoli resident told Reuters that Muslim clerics had called for people to rise up in parts of the Libyan capital.
The resident said the imams made the call as Muslims were breaking their daytime fast during the holy month of Ramadan on Saturday evening. The resident said the imams made the call as Muslims were ending their daytime fast during the holy month of Ramadan on Saturday evening.
In his audio message, Col Gaddafi condemned "traitors" who were "defiling mosques" in the mainly Muslim country.In his audio message, Col Gaddafi condemned "traitors" who were "defiling mosques" in the mainly Muslim country.
Meanwhile, a small number of Britons who have remained in Libya's capital, Tripoli, were being evacuated on a ship to Malta, the Foreign Office said on Sunday. Oil fields
'Defections'
Rebel military spokesman Col Ahmed Bani confirmed that rebel forces had fallen back in the eastern oil port of Brega.Rebel military spokesman Col Ahmed Bani confirmed that rebel forces had fallen back in the eastern oil port of Brega.
Brega, home to Libya's second-largest hydrocarbon complex and where oil from the country's main fields is refined, has repeatedly changed hands during the six-month-old conflict. Brega, home to Libya's second-largest hydrocarbon complex and where oil from the country's main fields is refined, has repeatedly changed hands during the six-month conflict.
Col Bani said the rebel forces had pulled back after coming under artillery fire.Col Bani said the rebel forces had pulled back after coming under artillery fire.
Meanwhile, reports suggest fresh senior figures in the Gaddafi camp may have defected:
  • Abdel Salam Jalloud, who helped Col Gaddafi come to power in 1969 but fell out with him in the 1990s, is believed to be making his way to Europe from neighbouring Tunisia
  • Libyan Oil Minister Omran Abukraa failed to return to Libya on Thursday after a visit to Italy and went to Tunisia instead, Tunisian sources said
Libya's conflict broke out in February, inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt which toppled the presidents of those countries.Libya's conflict broke out in February, inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt which toppled the presidents of those countries.
Rebels in the east rapidly consolidated their gains, but a stalemate developed in the west as rebels there faced overwhelming military force.Rebels in the east rapidly consolidated their gains, but a stalemate developed in the west as rebels there faced overwhelming military force.
Nato is enforcing a UN resolution to protect civilians from Col Gaddafi's forces but critics say it has overstepped its mandate by helping the rebels.Nato is enforcing a UN resolution to protect civilians from Col Gaddafi's forces but critics say it has overstepped its mandate by helping the rebels.
Are you in any of the areas affected by the fighting? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.Are you in any of the areas affected by the fighting? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.
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