Libyan rebels claim to have seized Gaddafi`s hometown Sirte
Libyan rebels claimed on Monday to have captured the town of Sirte, the home of embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, according to media reports.
Shamsi Abdul Molah, a spokesman for the opposition`s National Council, told the Al Jazeera satellite channel that opposition forces had moved into the city at approximately 1:30 a.m. last night (local time).
"They had no problem getting in there, they did not encounter any resistance," Al Jazeera`s correspondent in Benghazi reported.
The National Council said it was now expecting a major battle in the area around Tripoli.
Other media reports said the pro-Gaddafi troops had been pushed out of Sirte and now the rebels effectively control all of Libya`s oil exports.
However, according to Reuters, Sirt is still under government control.
Sirte, a Gaddafi stronghold, is about halfway between the rebel-held east of the country and the Gaddafi-controlled west.
On Sunday, NATO began taking command of all aerial operations in Libya from the US-led force. The transfer of authority will take up to three days.
|
