ANYONE who has followed the revolutions across North Africa will find the barely-concealed menace in the statement from Saif al-Islam, one of Muammar Gaddafi’s sons, that “everything will be over in 48 hours”, more than a little chilling.

Libyan rebels battled to hold a strategic eastern city against a punishing offensive by forces loyal to Moammar Gaddafi, voicing anger and frustration at the West for not coming to their aid. At the same time, government troops heavily shelled the last main rebel bastion near the capital.

Cracks in Muammar Gaddafi’s once-total rule spread rapidly across Libya today.

Heavy gunfire broke out in Tripoli today as forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi tightened their grip on the capital.

The streets of Libya’s capital are littered with the bodies of scores of protesters shot dead by security forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, an opposition leader said today.

Deep rifts have opened in Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, with Libyan government officials at home and abroad resigning, air force pilots defecting and a bloody crackdown on protest in the capital of Tripoli, where cars and buildings were burned.