Gaddafi Forces Beat Back Libyan Rebels' Push for Sirte

Libyan rebels' advance from Ras Lanuf against Sirte was halted late Thursday.

Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's loyalists have managed to halt the advance on the rebels against one of the last remaining Gaddafi bastions, his hometown of Sirte.

The Gaddafi forces have ambushed a large column of rebel vehicles near the town of Bin Jawad, according to international reports, killing dozens of rebels, with the rest withdrawing hastily to the east towards the town of Ras Lanuf.

The region of Sirte – the birthplace of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and one his last strongholds – became the target of the Libyan rebels earlier on Thursday.

Having taken most of Tripoli – even though the capital has not been fully secured with pockets of resistance still surviving in some districts - the Libyan rebel forces started to push towards Sirte.

As of Thursday night, Gaddafi forces are still firmly in control of the eastern city of Sirte as well as Sabha in the desert to the south.

Sirte 450 km east of Tripoli and Sabha – 600 km south – are Gaddafi's two last major strongholds.

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