Libyan Rebels May Need 3-4 Days to Conquer Sirte Road - Commanders

Libyan rebels are now targetting Sirte but are facing stiff resistance at Gaddafi's bastion. Map by the BBC

The Libyan rebels are preparing for a new offensive against dictator Muammar Gaddafi's stronghold Sirte, after their first advance on Thursday was ambushed and beaten back.

The rebels are building up their forces around the town of Bin Jawad, preparing for an assault on Sirte, about 100 km to the west, a BBC correspondent on the ground reported, also adding that the rebels' mood is still buoyant, despite running into unexpectedly stiff resistance.

Rebel commanders are cited as saying they think the fighting on the road to Sirte could last another three or four days.

On Thursday, the Libyan rebels moved to advance on the region of Sirte, Gaddafi's bastion and birthplace. Sirte, 450 km east of Tripoli, and Sabha, 600 km to the south, are Gaddafi's two last major strongholds.

As the Libyan rebel forces started to push towards Sirte on Thursday, however, the dictator's loyalists, managed to halt their advance, ambushing a large column of rebel vehicles near the town of Bin Jawad, according to international reports, killing dozens of rebels, with the rest of the rebel troops withdrawing hastily to the east towards the town of Ras Lanuf.

Reports as of early Friday morning suggest that Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi himself might be in Sirte, his birthplace.

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