Rebels capture key city and cut Tripoli’s links to outside world

LIBYAN rebels hoisted their flag in the centre of Zawiyah near the capital yesterday, cutting off Muammar Gaddafi’s capital from its main link to the outside world.

The swift rebel advance on the town, about 50km west of Tripoli, is a blow to Gaddafi’s supporters and also cuts the coastal highway to Tunisia, which keeps the capital supplied with food and fuel.

There is no sign Tripoli was under immediate threat from a rebel attack: heavily armed pro-Gaddafi forces still lie between Zawiyah and the capital.

After their initial rapid advances were beaten back by Gaddafi’s forces, the Libyan rebels have largely been unable to break the stalemate, even with the help of NATO air strikes.

Rebel forces are in their strongest position since the uprising against 41 years of Gaddafi’s rule began in February.

They control the coast both east and west of Tripoli; to the north is the Mediterranean and a NATO naval blockade; and to the south is empty desert.

Rebels from the Western Mountains region south of Zawiyah pushed into Zawiyah late on Saturday, encountering little sustained resistance from Gaddafi’s forces.

Near Zawiyah’s central produce market early yesterday, about 50 rebel fighters proclaimed “Allahu Akbar” — “God is greatest.” The red, black and green rebel flag was flying from a shop.

Rebel fighters told Reuters there were still forces loyal to Gaddafi in the town, including snipers.

One rebel fighter said Gaddafi’s forces were in control of the oil refinery on the northern edge of Zawiyah — a strategic target because it is the only one still functioning in western Libya and Gaddafi’s forces depend on it for fuel.

Rebels said the capital was their next target once Zawiyah was fully under their control.

Residents living along the coastal highway, near the main border crossing into Tunisia said there were heavy clashes between rebels and government troops on Saturday but that Gaddafi’s forces were still in control.

In Tripoli on Saturday, government officials denied Zawiyah was under rebel control, saying a small force of anti-Gaddafi fighters had launched a “suicide mission” that was quickly repelled.

Zawiyah is “absolutely under our control”, government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said.

“A very small group of rebels tried to move into the south of Zawiyah but were stopped easily because of our armed forces.”