Libyan forces advance on Sirte

LIBYAN transitional government forces said yesterday they had captured the university and a conference center in Muammar Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte, but were holding off an assault on the main square to let civilians escape.

Taking Sirte would bring Libya’s new rulers a big step closer to establishing control of the whole country almost two months after they seized the capital Tripoli, but Gaddafi snipers are holding up their advance in chaotic street battles.

“We have made good progress,” said Mahmoud Bayu, commander of the Shohada Al-Manatair brigade, to the south of Sirte.

“We have entered the Ouagadougou center, there is some fighting going on, but it’s under our control.”

He said National Transitional Council forces had also reached the main square of the Mediterranean coastal city, but could not move in yet as they were waiting for civilians to leave the area.

Another landmark target for the new advance on Sirte, the university, had also been seized overnight, NTC forces said, but they had come under heavy fire there and some had fallen back.

The struggle to capture Sirte has sidetracked NTC efforts to set up effective government over the whole North African country.